The Sparrow and the Doctor
by Saxatore
Summary: Finding herself pulled from her own universe and thrown into the world of Doctor Who, Sparrow's life just became a lot more interesting. With the weight and foreknowledge of the Doctor's entire life, his past, his present, and his future, this girl must travel through time and space, intertwining her life with his, hoping to make a difference with all that had gone wrong. Doctor/OC
1. Prologue

**Hello everybody! It's a new story and guess what? It's a Doctor Who story!**

**So, this is going to be an OC story and it will be my goal to update frequently (like you guys haven't heard that one before), but I will try. Obviously things will be similar to the story, but also different. I'd love to hear your feedback; what you thought, what you think or would like to happen, etc. **

**I even plan on doing a related "story" that will be more interactions and sequences between the OC I hope you will all come to love, and the amazing characters in Doctor Who.**

**Please note: I do not own Doctor Who or any of it's characters and stories.**

* * *

Prologue

It was a Tuesday night; completely normal and average, just like any other. It was nearly seven thirty in the afternoon as the sun was beginning to fall past the sky line. The temperature had barely made it past a high of forty degrees Fahrenheit for the beginning of March.

Sparrow, a woman with pale, freckled skin had just made it back from her day job and arrived at her not so lavish New York apartment. Her fiery red hair blew across her face in every direction as she walked from the car park to the front lobby of her building on Tiemann Place.

It was a simple, pale colored building, one of two identical apartments, just out of reach of Harlem. There wasn't much that was special about the buildings; they were old, and no one was in a hurry to renovate them any time soon.

One thing Sparrow highly enjoyed about its location though, was that that her apartments was just off the corner of Riverside Park where she could spend her time in the closest thing to nature in such a big city and not a few block off was even the Hudson River. Even though the water was a hideous brown color, the girl still liked to watch as the waves from the passing boats crashed against the seawall.

Finally inside, Sparrow tried to smooth down her hair as she tucked it behind her ears where she liked to keep it out of her face. Just like every other day, she walked up to her designated mailbox and unlocked small metal door, checking her received mail. There wasn't a lot in the container, just a few envelopes and a magazine. She closed the door to her box and began to head towards the elevator so she could finally make it to her apartment and end the day.

As she waited for the car to arrive in the lobby, she sorted through her mail. The first envelope was a bill. Sparrow cringed as she tucked it in the bottom of the pile. The magazine was from her monthly subscription to Entertainment Weekly; on the cover was an advertisement for a new movie she didn't care for. She tucked that at the bottom of the pile as well and continued looking through the pile.

Next was another envelope; plain white paper, no postal stamp, and just her address written in black ink.

"Huh." Sparrow's brows furrowed together as she tried to think who the letter might be from.

Her thoughts were interrupted briefly as the elevator dinged and the doors opened to her. She looked up, forgetting about the letter briefly and stepped inside. The fifth floor button lit up as she pressed it and the doors began to close. Soon enough, she was moving up.

Her attention turned back to the mail in her hands and she tucked the rest into the messenger bag over her shoulder, more intrigued with the unmarked letter. She turned it over in her hands, but there were still no identifying marks.

The elevator doors opened and Sparrow decided as she stepped out that there was no point in not opening the letter. She ripped the top of the envelope off and looked inside, but there was no letter. The only thing she saw was a small card, but she couldn't see what was on it.

She had made the short walk to her apartment door and unlocked the door, stepping inside. There wasn't much furnishing the rooms and she lived alone, so there was no need to impress anyone. People hardly visited, Sparrow barely had friends over, and there wasn't much happening in her small apartment. The only person who visited occasionally was Sparrow's sister, but that wasn't often enough. There were just a few chairs, a small table, couch, television, a desk for working, a bedroom for sleeping, and a kitchen for cooking.

Sparrow closed the door behind her and shrugged the bag off her shoulder, onto the floor, set her keys in a dish on the counter, and took another look in the mysterious envelope. This time she took the card out of the envelope to examine it further.

Nothing about it seemed special; it was just a small laminated card, larger than most, but still small enough that it could fit in a wallet. To make it even stranger to the girl, there were absolutely no markings on it. There was dirt like it had been previously used, but not a single letter, indicating otherwise.

Again she flipped it over in her hands, trying to make sense of the card and envelope, but not a single reason came to mind. "This is ridiculous," Sparrow groaned as she rolled her eyes and walked into her kitchen. She opened the lid to her trash bin, ready to throw the card out, but something stopped her. _Why would someone send this?_

She pulled her hand away, deciding against throwing out the card and rolled her eyes. It may have been blank, but she held a lot of curiosity with the card and just couldn't get rid of it.

Sparrow decided to keep it, at least for a while and hung it up on her refrigerator with a magnet, turning to stash the envelope in a kitchen drawer.

A familiar noise reached her ears and Sparrow turned to look down the short hall towards her room. She could hear the TARDIS grinding and smiled as she quickly hurried through her bedroom door. Her computer monitor lit up as she shook the mouse and hit the answer button to the video call she was receiving.

"Hi, Merry! How have you been? How's Florida?" Sparrow chimed as she got to see the face of her sister. It had been a few weeks since they last spoke, and she missed her.

Sparrow was so excited to see her sister that she ran off in a hurry without seeing what was happening. She didn't get to see as partial letters and shapes began to write themselves on the once blank card hanging on her fridge, and then fade away again shortly after.

* * *

**Keep a look out for chapter 1 coming out shortly. I look forward to hearing what everyone thinks!**


	2. Rose

**Hi everyone who's reading this right now. I have to say that I'm actually surprised that the prologue got a decent amount of views in the past few days. I'm happy about that.**

**But now you can read the first real chapter to _The Sparrow and the Doctor_. I'm even even excited for it!**

* * *

Rose

She could hear the gears of the lift grind and whir in its shaft of Henrick's Department store but she was too preoccupied to care. She didn't notice the blonde haired woman carrying a small plastic bag nor did she see her walk to her left towards the nearest door. Only when she jiggled the locked door knob was the newcomer finally noticed.

"Oi, you aren't allowed down here!"

The blonde spun around to face another woman approaching her from a console on a wall. This woman had hair of orange crimson that resembled the color of a tiger lily. Stray pieces fell over a pair of thin, black framed glasses she wore as she moved to face the woman she was accusing. "Rose, is that you?"

"Yeah. It's just me, Sparrow." Rose strode back towards the orange haired woman and they each met halfway, in front of the lift. Rose stood at least five inches shorter than Sparrow.

"Okay, I thought so. These lights make it hard to see anything down here, let alone to work. Although I suppose that's why I have to carry this." The orange haired woman held up a small torch and clicked the back of it, lighting up a small section of the area as well as Rose's face as the beam shined right into her eyes.

"Hey! Sparrow, shut that thing off, would ya," she shouted at the other.

Slightly embarrassed, Sparrow fumbled for the button again and the light quickly faded from Rose, leaving the corridor seeming darker than it was before.

"Sorry about that. Like I said, it can be hard to see sometimes, especially this late. Speaking of which," She lifted her hand to look at her wrist and pushed her sleeve back, exposing a small Victoria style bracelet. She clicked a button on the side and the top popped open, revealing a watch face. Her brows furrowed and eyes squinted behind glasses as she tried to determine the time. "Didn't your shift already end for the day? It should be completely empty up there." The redhead looked back up after discerning the time and looked at Rose questioningly. "What brings you down here?"

Still a bit blinded from the torch, Rose held up the clear bag of money in her hand, explaining all that Sparrow needed to hear, but spoke any way. "I've still got to take this lottery money to Wilson." She gave the bag a good shake before lowering it to her side again.

An understanding look passed over Sparrow's face. She'd seen Rose do this many times before so didn't consider it an oddity. "He's not in there, I've checked. I'm not sure where he is actually, I need to find him myself too before I leave in a bit. If you'd just wait a minute I can go with you." Sparrow offered.

"Are you sure? I wouldn't want you to do something out of your way. Looks like you've still got work to do." Rose pointed out nodding her head around Sparrow and towards the console she was previously at.

Sparrow rolled her eyes though Rose couldn't see. _When will she learn that I'm usually here waiting for here when she does this? _"It's no big deal at all, just let me clean this up real quick." Sparrow smiled reassuringly so that the other knew it really was alright.

Smiling back, Rose waited for Sparrow as she went back to her console and fidgeted with a few things. She reappeared at Rose's side with the addition of a bag over her shoulder.

"Ready?" Rose asked. Sparrow nodded and they ventured down the hall.

There was a clattering noise and Rose perked up at the sound of it.

"What is it?" Sparrow asked, completely oblivious to the noise.

"Well, it's just that I heard something. It's the second time now. I think I came from there." She pointed to one of the store rooms.

Sparrow smiled in the dark. _Is this it? _She clicked the torch on again. "Let's go check it out." Rose followed as she walked into the store room and closed the door behind them. "There's a switch over there," she motioned to Rose who turned it on and Sparrow tucked the light in her bag. The room was filled with nothing but dummies and old displays.

"Is anyone there?" Rose called out, her voice a little shaky.

The two travelled farther into the room and took no notice a group of shop dummies that began to animate behind them. Sparrow strode up to the back door and tried to open it, Rose right on her tail. She pushed on the back door to the store room but it wouldn't open. Aggravated, she repeatedly shook herself against the door like a child having a temper tantrum and pieces of her red hair flew around her face and glasses as they slipped from their place tucked behind her ears. She finally gave up and with a final kick to the door, huffed in defeat.

"That door's not supposed to be locked," Sparrow mumbled to Rose as the other went to inspect the door. "Come on, let's go back." _I was so sure this was going to be it this time. Everything fit. _Sparrow frowned internally.

They walked to the original double doors but Rose stopped the other girl as she glanced up. Across the room stood an old shop dummy dressed in one of the suits they had for sale. Sparrow gave a small yelp of surprise and the smile was back.

Both girls began to stagger back as the dummy advanced on them.

"Who are you then? What are you doing here?" Rose demanded

"Rose I don't think that's smart," Sparrow cautioned, but she didn't listen.

"We'll come on then, game's over."

From the corner of her eye, Sparrow spotted another moving and it too began heading towards them. Another, then another, and soon the two girls were back up against the door that wouldn't open and the wall next to it. Sparrow thought she knew what these things would do to them if they got a hold and she really didn't want to find out. In a final chance, Sparrow tried the door against her back again but it was no use, she pounded on it with her fist hoping someone would hear them as the mannequin's closed in around the two girls. She doubted it would work, and all her other hopes of rescue began to diminish as she felt the moving plastic near them.

In an attempt to comfort the girl next to her, Sparrow grasped Rose's hand and squeezed it tightly. She pressed her back against the door and Rose's against the wall as they shut their eyes.

Waiting for the cold touch of the plastic, Sparrow noticed a somewhat familiar buzzing noise that she hadn't heard in a long time and then felt the cool metal of the door against her back disappear. Her eyes shot open, and she let go of Rose's hand as she immediately began to fall backwards from the lack of support she had been desperately pressing herself into. Her worry of the dummies shifted to worry of hitting the floor and she screwed her eyes shut again, waiting for impact, but there was no contact with the floor. Instead, only seconds after the door had been removed as her support, Sparrow fell into something much softer than the concrete ground. She thought for a second about keeping her eyes closed in case one of those dummies had finally caught her, but whatever it was felt too real to be plastic and chanced cracking her eyes open.

Both of Sparrow's eyes flew open in relief when she saw what had a hold of her, and a smile grew on her face. From her view his face was upside down but she could make enough sense out of it, even from the odd angle. He had lines on his forehead as his eyebrows raised in surprise at the girl falling into him. He also had short hair, a pointed nose, and large ears to match. His clear blue eyes smiled down at her after the surprise faded away and Sparrow was unsure of how to react.

Before she could figure out any response, she felt hands tighten around her waist. Sparrow figured a pull was coming next and called out for her friend.

"Rose!" She held a hand out and the blonde took it gratefully.

"Run!"

Sparrow was right as she was suddenly pulled upright and was dragged out of the doorway, away from the plastic creatures, and down the hallway with Rose attached to her hand. The man's arms slipped from around Sparrow's waist and he grasped her bicep half dragging her until she gained her footing again. The three ran straight down the hall towards another lift at the end of the corridor, but the dummies were still following behind them, and moving quite fast for something that was plastic, even though they shouldn't have been moving at all.

In a mad rush, the doors to the lift opened and Sparrow saw the leather jacket of the man in front of her as he pushed the two girls into the car. He repeatedly pressed the "close door" button, but the assailants were getting closer. The doors began to close to the relief of each escapee, but something stopped the doors from sealing.

A plastic arm was reaching out through the mostly closed doors, preventing the car from ascending towards the surface. The man struggled with it as the arm repeatedly opened and closed its hand, trying to get a grasp of one of them. The struggle continued, adrenaline and fear coursing through Sparrow until finally, after many forceful tugs, the arm came off of the mannequin's body and the doors to the lift sealed shut, allowing them to move upwards. Sparrow could feel Rose cringing at the sight of the removed arm so when the man passed it back, Sparrow took it.

"They're just plastic Rose, look." Sparrow gestured to the arm in a reassuring tone.

"Yep," the man responded in a Northern accent.

"But how are they alive?" Rose demanded to know, voice slightly hysterical.

"They-" Sparrow was about to answer but then bit her tongue not saying any more.

The man stared at Sparrow, narrowing his eyes, all the small wrinkles around them becoming accentuated. Sparrow pressed herself farther into the wall, a little frightened of the man now. His judging glare was interrupted by Rose.

"What is going?" Her voice became steadier.

The mystery man looked at Rose this time, less appraising, and answered with a more serious tone. "Those things are living plastic creatures controlled by a relay device on the roof. Fortunately though, I have this." He reached inside his leather jacket and dug through the pockets as if they were deeper than they actually looked, and pulled out a small bomb.

Rose gasped and flinched at the sight of the device. "I-Is that a-"

"A bomb? Yes," he nodded in answer to her unspoken question.

The lift came to a stop and Sparrow followed as the man exited the car with Rose right behind them. The doors to the shaft closed and the man tucked the bomb under his arm and pulled something else out of his pocket, pointing it at the call button for the lift.

"Mind your eyes," he warned them as the slender object in his hand buzzed and the panel sparked, causing both girls flinch at the light.

As he put the device away and grasped the bomb in his hands again, Rose began to question him as Sparrow sat back and watched their conversation back and forth. "You can't just blow up the building. What about people that still might be inside?" she proposed, genuinely worried.

The man looked at her disbelievingly. "Like who? The shop's closed innit?"

"What about Wilson? He isn't back yet."

"Is he the bloke in charge of things down in the basement?"

"Yeah."

"He's dead." The man walked off down the hall and Rose followed in disbelief with Sparrow behind her, clutching the plastic arm.

"That's just cruel to say."

The man didn't say anything more on the topic and instead continued walking, pondering to himself out loud. "What I don't get is why you two are still following me if you know what I'm going to do."

A little puzzled by the idea herself, Rose couldn't think of an answer and Sparrow was forced to speak for her. "Well, you did save us after all." They followed him up a set of short stairs and stopped as they reach a set of double doors at the top.

"True enough." He shrugged as he opened one of the doors and pushed Sparrow through. She grabbed Rose's hand so as the blonde wouldn't get left behind and she was dragged out too. "And this is your stop."

"Hey, wait a second!" Sparrow struggled against his push but she was still forced outside. She looked to step back in but the man's body blocked the way.

"Listen, this is beyond your mind. I'm going up to the roof to get rid of those plastic creatures and there's nothing you can do either to help or stop me. I might very well die, but don't you worry about me,"

Sparrow opened her mouth to object but the man cut her off as he continued to speak.

"Oh, no. Go on and spend your life in ignorance to everything going on around you and be sure not to tell anyone about what happened here, because if you do you might as well kill them."

The man stepped back inside the building and closed the door in front of Sparrow as she tried to step forward. Annoyed by the man's rudeness, she shouted at the closed door at least hoping she heard the outburst. "Hey!"

The door opened again and Sparrow had to jump back to avoid being hit by it. The mystery man in the leather jacket appeared again and Sparrow glared at him.

"I'm the Doctor, by the way. What's your name?"

"Sparrow," she responded, and then turned to Rose who was still shell shocked. "And that's Rose."

"Nice to meet you Sparrow, Rose. Now, run for your life." He waved the bomb as if it were a toy and closed the door again, disappearing.

Irritated, Sparrow shoved the fake arm into Rose's hands and pulled on the doors, but they didn't open. She shook the doors fiercely and bits of red hair flew out of place again until she eventually gave up. Sparrow tucked the pieces of escaped hair behind her ears and turned back Rose. "Come on Rose, we need to get away from here. This building's about to go up." Rose nodded and they ran across the street until they were a decent distance away from the department store. Sparrow kept her eyes on the building as she waited for it to explode until suddenly she felt Rose on her arm.

"Did you see it?" she nearly shouted.

Sparrow looked at the display window where Rose was staring. "What?"

Rose shook her head and turned from the display. "Never mind." Her voice however was drowned out by the explosion of the building they recently escaped and both girls turned to observe the aftermath. Sparrow twirled around to face Rose before she could run off.

"Okay, look Rose." She grabbed a petrified Rose by her shoulders. "You need to go home. Everything will be fine, but you really cannot tell anyone. Than man was right, people can and will get hurt. Do you understand?" Rose nodded her head sagely. "Now go!"

Sparrow watched as Rose ran across the street and continued down the opposite sidewalk. Only seconds passed before Sparrow took one last look at the demolished building and observed the damage; the top of the building was in shambles and what remained was on fire, lighting up the night sky. As she heard fire sirens, Sparrow headed off to her own flat like Rose, just slower and more calmly. She completely missed the blue box that sat a street away from her as she passed it without even looking.

* * *

After a rather long walk to the South Lambeth Estate, Sparrow arrived at the red door of her own flat and pulled out her key. She unlocked the door, sighing as she stepped into the comfort of her own place. She closed the door behind her, throwing her bag and keys onto a nearby chair. "Jess!" Sparrow called out for her flatmate. "Jess, are you home?

She began to move around the flat making her way to the television set and picking up the remote. Her flatmate's voice wafted down the hallway. "Sparrow, is that you? Why are you back so late, I thought you got off hours ago."

Sparrow pressed the power button on the remote and turned the set to the local news channel.

"Have you not looked at the news at all today?" Sparrow called over her shoulder as she watched the screen.

Jessica emerged from the hall dressed in a small tank top and jeans, dark brown wavy hair bouncing as she walked. Her hair contrasted deeply with her pale skin and framed her small face perfectly. If there was one thing Jessica new how to do, it was make herself look extremely gorgeous.

"Not since this morning. Why?" Jessica was confused as she stood next to Sparrow, just two inches shy of her flatmate's height. Sparrow gestured to the television and they both watched as a male reporter summed up the explosion at the department store. Sparrow wondered how many times they had done that already; it had to have been at least an hour and a half since the incident.

An expression of pure shock and concern grew on Jessica's face as she realized what had happened. "For the love of- Why didn't you tell me sooner, make a call or something? Do you know what caused it?"

Sparrow was about to answer but then stopped. _Should I tell her? I don't think it would be terrible to but- _She looked towards Jessica but any thoughts were cutoff as her question was swapped for another. "Never mind that, I suppose it's not all that important right now. You're okay though, right?"

"Of course." Just barely as Sparrow got her answer out, Jessica tackled her with another.

"Did you go to the police?"

"Well no, I-"

"Are you going to?"

Sparrow paused before answering. "Yeah. Tomorrow with Rose Tyler; she was with me. Thought it would be best to do it with her." An obvious lie but she it would have been easier than explaining why she can't go to the police.

"Alright, as long as you do something." Jessica moved away from her flatmate and walked into the kitchen to make tea. "Have you thought about getting compensation?"

Sparrow whipped her head to look at Jessica. "Don't _even_ go there," she warned, turning back to the lounge.

There was a sudden knock at the door that made Sparrow jump in her spot. Before she could react to it, Jessica began walking out of the kitchen and to the door as the knocking continued. Sparrow relaxed herself again, settling onto the tan couch and watching the news report for herself. She could hear the door being answered and a faint greeting as whoever was there was being let in.

"It's Andy, Sparrow! He's here to check up on you." Just as Jessica called out to inform her, Sparrow turned her head to the right in time to see her older brother emerging from behind the partition separating the front door and lounge.

Nonchalantly, Sparrow turns her head back to the television and waved a soft gesture to Andy. "Speak of the devil."

Andy perked up at this mention. "Were you guys talking about me?" He walked over to sit on the arm of the couch next to Sparrow.

"Nope, just messing with you." Sparrow smiled as she teased the older man.

"Well it's nice to see that the accident left you okay. I guess that means my job here is done." Andy got up off the couch arm to act as if he were leaving but Sparrow leapt from her spot to grab his arm. "No! No, please stay. It was just a joke."

Andy smirked down at Sparrow and his eyes smiled. "Oh, I was never gonna leave. Just messing with you."

Sparrow's nose crinkled as her own words were thrown back at her, but was surprised when her weight was being lifted off the couch. "What are you?"

"You didn't think I was going to let you off that easily did you?" Andy pulled her off the couch and lifted Sparrow by her waist, tossing her over his shoulder. She giggled as Andy spun around in a circle and fell on to the couch still holding Sparrow. They laid on the couch laughing and delved into a conversation not soon after. Time passed and Sparrow noticed Jessica walking out of the hall in the same cloths she had on before. She leaned over the back of the cushions and questioned her flatmate. "Why aren't you dressed for work? I thought you said you'd be out all night."

"Why aren't you and Andy in your room? I thought you two would be busy all night," Jessica tossed back at the two on the couch, determined to not answer the question.

Andy's eyes darted to Sparrow, then back to his sister, redness growing fully on his face. "Uh, Jess," he managed, trying to add a warning in his voice, but failed due to embarrassment.

Hurriedly covering her own embarrassment, Sparrow pressed again for an answer. "Jess," she commanded.

"It wasn't work I had to go to." Sparrow looked at her questioningly. "It was a date," Jessica admitted.

Sparrow quickly got up from her spot beside Andy and approached her friend. "Oh Jess. I'm sorry." She knew how much a date meant to her. It was what she did; find a guy, "date" him, and then move on to the next. Sparrow reached for the other's hand and held it consolingly. "You shouldn't have to cancel because of me." Jessica smiled at her and Sparrow let go of her hands, taking a step back. "Now, I insist you go call that guy back and go put on that purple dress that shows off your back, you know the one with the slit up the leg." Sparrow traced a line up her outer thigh to her hip as she described the dress. She could hear Andy clear his throat behind her at the mention of his sister's sexuality but ignored it.

"Alright," Jessica agreed and then turned to her brother. "If you don't like it so much then maybe you shouldn't come over so often," she recommended, flashing a glance at Sparrow. "But then you wouldn't be able to see her so often, now would you?"

Both Sparrow and Andy stayed speechless as Jessica turned on her heel and disappeared down the hall. Andy tried to busy himself by flipping through the channels on the television set and Sparrow tried to do the same by making tea in the kitchen. Jessica often chose to make things to awkward between the two on purpose. They weren't together as a couple, but they acted close enough to be one and although Jessica didn't have any issues with it, she still considered it fun to tease the two.

Jessica emerged from the hall moments later, dolled up with the purple dress, loose hair, and glamorous makeup to match. Sparrow saw how she looked and commented on her outfit.

"Look at you, that didn't take long." She glanced up at she continued stirring the cup of tea in front of her.

Jessica smiled in thanks and grabbed her purse from the counter by the door and turned to say her goodbye to her flatmate.

"Try not to keep my brother up too late," Jessica playfully cautioned.

"Jess!" Andy's voice drifted from the lounge over the television set.

She was about to open her mouth to comment again but Sparrow flicked the spoon out of her cup of tea and pointed it at the brunette. "Not another word," she warned.

"Don't wait up for me." Jessica winked and darted out the door before anything else could be said to her.

Sparrow groaned as she grabbed the two cups of tea and walked back into the lounge. She shook her head as she handed Andy his own cup and sat down next to him. "I swear, that has to be the most insensitive person I've ever met."

"That's Jess." Andy took a sip of his drink after he spoke.

Sparrow and Andy spent the afternoon on the couch as they enjoyed each other's company. After the day Sparrow had, his presence was the perfect distraction to bring her back to reality.

Eventually, Sparrow gave in and told Andy about the mysterious man, the Doctor, though she was sure to assure him that he was nothing to worry about. Sparrow explained how he saved her life and that while he did cause the explosion, it was to save people. She was sure not to explain anything specific through, just sticking to general terms so that she wouldn't sound crazy herself.

It grew late and eventually Sparrow fell asleep next to Andy on the couch. He moved her to her bedroom to sleep more comfortably, but worried about her as the story of the strange man dwelled in his mind.

* * *

Morning came and Sparrow awoke to the sound of her alarm. Her mind was disoriented as she realized she was in her room and glanced at her clock. It had gone off at the time she would have had to get up if she still had a job and groaned as she realized her lack of employment. Sparrow turned over under her duvet and drifted off to sleep again.

When Sparrow awoke again, it was not to her alarm clock, but a knocking she could hear through the walls. She looked at her clock again to see that she had only slept for an extra hour. Hoping that the knocking would end soon, she tossed her blanket over her head and tried to block the noise out, but it didn't stop.

Aggravated, Sparrow threw the covers from her head, revealing her face and called out for relief. "Jess," she groaned. "Jess!"

There was no response and Sparrow had enough. She tore the duvet from her body and swung her legs to the side of the bed letting them touch the cool wood. Mumbling, Sparrow exited her room and trudged down the hall, not bothering to make herself presentable for the intruder as they continued to knock.

As she entered the main room, Sparrow saw Andy lying on the couch with a spare pillow and blanket, fast asleep. She sidetracked to the lounge and pulled the pillow from under Andy's head, throwing it back on top of him.

"Why couldn't _you_ get it, idgit?" she grumbled. Andy groaned in response.

Sparrow continued her trail to the flat's red door and began to raise her voice as she reached for the door. "What do you want?" Her red hair was thrown about as wind from opening the door blew in her direction, making it even more of a tousled mess.

There, in her doorway, stood Rose Tyler with a very exasperated look on her face. All of Sparrows' anger quickly subsided.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you. I just, I really needed to talk to someone and the only person I could think of that wouldn't think I was a total loon was you." A sincere and apologetic look covered Rose's face as she explained herself.

"Uh, yeah, no. It's no problem come in." She gestured for the blonde to step inside and she complied. The two walked farther into the flat and Sparrow sped ahead of her to see if Andy was still asleep but there was no one there, just a discarded sheet and pillow lying on the couch. She stopped and looked back at Rose.

"This wouldn't have anything to do with yesterday, would it?" She had a nagging feeling it was.

"Yeah. I saw him again, this morning. He came to my flat and that plastic arm thing came alive and attacked me. Then he took it and disappeared again." She looked at Sparrow with worry in her eyes. "Do you think we can trust him? He's different Sparrow, he's not normal."

Sparrow smiled as she listened to what Rose was saying. "Oh, I think we can trust him. Remember, he did save us, and you twice now."

Rose let out a defeated sigh. "Alright, alright. I also came here because I'm meeting this guy called Clive, reckons he knows some stuff about the Doctor, and I was gonna see if you wanted to come with me."

"You didn't happen to meet this guy on the internet, did you?"

"Well, yeah but-"

Sparrow groaned cutting her off. "You've got to be careful with those guys, Rose. I know I probably sound like your mum, but it's true." She glanced at Rose and pitied the look on her face. "It's Clive Finch, yeah?" The other girl's eyebrows rose at this mention. "I know him from, let's say a friend of a friend. He's fine, won't do anything. Harmless guy, a bit tragic though."

A smile crossed Rose's face and then she reverted to her original question. "So will you come?"

Sparrow thought about this offer, weighing her options briefly. "I think I'll pass on this one. You can have Clive all to yourself," she teased.

"Fine, it's your loss though." Rose pointed an accusatory finger at Sparrow and turn for the door. "I'll call you later, when I'm done. Let you know what I found out." Sparrow walked with her back to the door.

"You do that. Bye now." Sparrow closed the door as she watched Rose wave goodbye and descend down the stairs. She heard footsteps behind her and turned to see who it was only to find Andy.

"Who was that?" he questioned.

"It was just Rose checking up on me after yesterday. I told you she was there too, right?"

"Yeah. I still think you're crazy after telling me what happened though." He walked towards his makeshift bed and began folding the sheet. "A mystery man with a bomb claiming to be saving humanity. Seems like a fairy tale if you ask me."

Sparrow scoffed and sat on the edge of the couch. "Maybe the universe is just a whole lot different than we thought," she suggested with a knowing smile.

"Okay and maybe I'm the king of England too," he joked.

The redhead immediately got to her feet and bowed towards the accused king. "My apologies, I didn't realize whose presence I was in." She lifted only her head and smirked. "Your majesty."

"Oh, stop it!" Andy picked up the pillow and freshly folded sheet walking towards the hall closet to put them away. "If I'm king of anything, it's hardly a country," he called over his shoulder.

"Well then how about you become King of the Coffee and make me a cup while I put some decent cloths on."

"I'll make it my first decree." Andy assured as Sparrow passed him to her bedroom.

* * *

The phone rang on its receiver and Sparrow raced down the hall to the main room to answer it. "Hello, Alison speaking," she answered as calmly as she could. "Oh Rose, it's you. I assume the meeting with Clive went well then. No unexpected murders?" She laughed lightly. "That's too bad." "Pizza, with you and Mickey?" She clicked the lid to her watch again and checked the time. "I can be there in ten." "Alright, I'll see you then." "Okay, give Mickey my best. Bye."

Sparrow hung up the receiver and went straight to the door to put her boots on and grab her jacket. She did a quick pat down of herself and checked that she had everything. _Keys. Wallet. Dignity. Yep, all here._ She quickly darted out the door and down the stairs to catch the nearest bus into town.

* * *

"Okay, so maybe it was a little more than ten minutes but I'm still here," Sparrow announced as she arrived inside the small restaurant and approached the table occupied by Rose and Mickey. Only Rose looked up at her approach and Sparrow observed Mickey. "I love what you did with your skin, Mickey. The shine really suits you." She took a seat opposite of the pair and continued mocking the man, being able to tell that the man in the chair wasn't really Mickey. "Oh, and that smile. Did you use Botox?" He still didn't respond to her.

"Don't mind him, he's just been a bit off today," Rose assured.

"I'm sure," Sparrow mumbled under her breath as she continued to watch him.

"So what was he doing there?" Mickey continued with his previous inquiry from before Sparrow interrupted.

"I'm not going on about it, Mickey. Really, I'm not, because, I know it sounds daft, but I don't think it's safe. I think he's dangerous," Rose warned.

Sparrow decided to jump in the conversation for a moment. "Honestly, I don't think he's that dangerous at all. Then again, he did blow up Henrick's with a bomb just the other day, but what do I know." She shrugged after putting her two cents in and then leaned back comfortably in her chair.

Mickey cut in before Rose could comment on Sparrows' opinion. "But you can trust me, sweetheart. Babe. Sugar, babe, sugar." His voice fluctuated between a normal and deeper pitch as he spoke. "You can tell me anything. Tell me about the Doctor and what he's planning, and I can help you, Rose. Because that's all I really want to do, sweetheart, babe, babe, sugar, sweetheart." Again, his voice changed and Rose noticed.

"What're you doing that for?"

The waiter appeared by their table with a bottle of champagne, except it wasn't the waiter at all. It was the Doctor. "Your champagne," he offered.

"We didn't order any champagne. Where's the Doctor?" Mickey dismissed the Doctor without looking at him, unknowing that it was actually the man he was looking for, and grabbed Rose's hand rather harshly. Sparrow knew exactly who he was though; she could see him plain as day while the other two completely ignored him and she tried not to smile. He still wore the same jacket and trousers, the only thing that may have changed was his jumper but Sparrow couldn't be sure. He moved to Rose to offer the bottle. "Madam, your champagne."

Rose brushed him off. "It's not ours. Mickey, what is it? What's wrong?"

"I need to find out how much you know, so where is he?" Mickey was beginning to lose his patience though he didn't look it with a fixed smile.

"Doesn't anybody want this champagne?" the Doctor questioned the table.

Sparrow raised her glass in response. "I'll take some. Never do business with a clear head my friend used to say." He looked at her curiously briefly before Mickey piped up.

"Look, we didn't order any-" He finally looked up at the waiter imposter. "Ah, gotcha!" Rose looked up to and shock covered her face as she saw the Doctor for a third time now.

He began to vigorously shake the bottle of champagne. "Don't mind me. I'm just toasting the happy couple. On the house!" He released the cage from around the cork and it went flying into Mickey's forehead, hardly phased by it. It was like he simply rearranged his mouth to get to the cork and spit it out. "Anyway."

Mickey stood from the table and transformed his hand into a spatula-like chopper, leaving Rose and Sparrow to bolt up from the table before he destroyed it. The two watched as the Doctor jumped towards the now obviously fake Mickey, and proceeded to pull on his head three good times before it finally came off and momentum threw him backwards onto another table. Mickey's body still wouldn't quit though as it continued to flail. Rose moved to break a nearby fire alarm, ordering everyone out of the building.

She was the first one to begin running after the room began to clear and headed through the kitchen and down a dark hallway leading to a back alley. Sparrow followed close behind Rose and not far behind her was the Doctor, still holding the fake Mickey's head. He closed the large metal door behind them and locked it with his sonic screwdriver as the headless Mickey pounded on it.

Rose continued running down the alley and struggled with a closed gate, chained shut. Sparrow ignored her as she walked towards the out of place large, blue box and walked around it, observing the relic from all angles. Her examination of the front message was interrupted when the Doctor walked over and began to open the door with a key. Sparrow turned to Rose and smiled, gesturing for her friend to follow as the girl looked back and forth between the blue box and the metal door. She slipped inside, closing the door behind her, knowing that Rose would eventually come too.

She stepped just inside the box and marveled at what she saw. It was machinery all colorful and different than anything she'd ever seen before. Sparrow heard the door open behind her and stepped aside for the rushing Rose to enter. She saw her enter, stop, then rush back out again, but before she could exit, Sparrow grabbed Rose by her arm and pulled her back in.

"Yes, yes. It's alien, it's bigger on the inside, and _that_ was obviously not Mickey. Lord knows you didn't realize that sooner," Sparrow stated absentmindedly as she pushed Rose farther inside and closed the police box door, ascending up the metal ramp herself and passing a fearful Rose.

Sparrow barely registered what the Doctor was saying as she observed the control room. She circled the center platform's outer edge first, running her hand over each coral structure, then moved towards the center where she observed the console and its many complicated controls. Although, as she looked more closely, some of them didn't look that complicated at all and wondered if any actually did anything like the hotel bell or light switch she saw. She circled around the back and came across the wired in head of fake Mickey.

"You aren't very observant, are you?" she asked, looking up from the console.

A look of confusion passed the Doctor's face as he turned to the girl behind him and she gestured to the melting head.

"Oh no, no, no, no, no!" He rushed back towards the control console and set the TARDIS in motion as a whooshing noise filled the room.

"What are you doing?" Rose shouted as she was being tossed about.

"Following the signal. It's fading. Wait a minute, I've got it!"

Sparrow grasped onto the side rail and laughed jauntily as she watched the Doctor shifted closely between success and failure. They finally landed and he rushed for the door, Rose close behind as she yelled at him. "You can't go out there, it's not safe!" The two of them exited the TARDIS but Sparrow stayed behind a moment longer to finish her light inspection of the box. She rested her hand on the glass encasing the time rotor and sighed heavily before continued towards the door. The door was a lot heavier to open than it was last time and she pulled harshly when the door finally swung inwards, the Doctor slightly stumbling in with it.

"Oi, Watch it!" he exclaimed, then situated himself comfortably again.

"Sorry!" Sparrow apologized lightly as she stepped out sheepishly and closed the door.

"Satisfied snooping around?"

"Not snooping," she defended. "Exploring unsupervised is all." He smiled at her answer.

"So, this living plastic, what's it got against us?" Rose asked, curious now that she understood the situation more.

"Nothing. It loves you. You've got such a good planet. Lots of smoke, oil, plenty of toxins and dioxins in the air, perfect. Just what the Nestene Consciousness needs," the Doctor began to ramble on, though a little too enthusiastic as he explained.

"Sounds like the perfect food source for an invading species," Sparrow input.

"Exactly." He gestured to Sparrow as his finished answer.

"Is there any way to stop it?" Rose was incredulous.

The Doctor pulled a tube of blue liquid out of his jacket for the girls to see. "Anti-plastic."

"Anti-plastic." Again, Rose was still being incredulous.

"Ant-plastic," he concluded. "But first I've got to find it. How can you hide something that big in a city this small?" He was speaking as if he were talking to himself now, or someone who knew more of what was going on.

"You mean a transmitter right, like that thing on the roof but bigger?" Sparrow pushed, trying to be helpful.

"In a sense."

"What's it look like?" Rose questioned.

"Like a transmitter."

"That's not helpful." The Doctor glared at Sparrow briefly before continuing.

"Round and massive, slap bang in the middle of London. A huge, circular, metal structure like a dish, like a wheel. Radial." He moved to walk farther down the sidewalk and both Rose and Sparrow followed him, side by side. He stopped a few paces away, framed perfectly by the London Eye, exactly what he was describing. "Close to where we're standing. It must be completely invisible."

Rose raised her eye brow at the Doctor. "What?" he asked confused by her look and Sparrow giggled making him question them again.

The blonde turned to look at Sparrow who shrugged, missing the Doctor turn to look towards the south bank of the Thames. Sparrow sighed and walked up to the Doctor. "You truly aren't observant." She turned him physically and positioned his head to look at the Eye.

"Oh. Fantastic!" He finally caught on and looked back at the girls before running down the south end of the bridge. "Think of it, plastic all over the world, every artificial thing, waiting to come alive. The shop window dummies, the phones, the wires, the cables,"

"The breast implants," Rose interrupted. Sparrow giggled at the response and wrapped her arms around her chest, encasing her own breasts at the thought.

They stopped on a platform just in front of the Eye and the Doctor continued to pace. "Still, we've found the transmitter. The Consciousness must be somewhere underneath." Rose ran her own way to look over the edge of a railing while Sparrow stayed where she was, arms still wrapped around her chest. "You alright?" the Doctor asked the girl.

Sparrow looked up at him and dropped her arms. "Yeah, just a thought is all." The Doctor observed the redhead, truly observed her as she reverted to a normal state. He noted her height, just a few inches short of his own height, and her age, probably around her early twenties. The first thing he noticed, other than her bright hair, was the smirk that seemed ever present on her face. He wondered what could cause her to keep that smile on her face, even facing something new like this. He looked up as he heard Rose calling out, "What about down here?"

The other two ran to look at what Rose was referring to. "Looks good to me," The Doctor responded and raced down a set of nearby stairs towards the manhole platform. He opened the cover and was about to jump in until a hand stopped him, Rose taking his position going first. He looked towards Sparrow and gave her a questioning look. She held her hand out to him in a gesture to hand something over. "Give me the anti-plastic," she ordered.

"What?"

"You obviously don't plan on killing this thing right away." He looked at her with a stern face. "It may not be the best strategy to offer one hand and arm the other. Hand it over, _now._"

With great reluctance, the Doctor took out the tube and placed it in her hands. "Don't lose it," he cautioned.

"Wouldn't dream of it," she assured, tucking the vile in her jeans pocket and moved to drop down the ladder. "Ladies first." She winked at him and then disappeared down the hole.

Red light flooded the room as they travelled down a corridor and through a heavy door into a large, open, chamber-like area. They descended down a flight of steps and stopped on the landing. There was a large mass of red-orange liquid, close to the color of Sparrow's hair, churning down below in a large container.

"The Nestene Consciousness; that's it inside the vat. A living plastic creature," the Doctor narrated.

"Well then, tip in your anti-plastic and let's go." Sparrow glared at her friend. She felt another pair of eyes on her besides Rose's, and turned, briefly making eye contact with the Doctor before he turned away and ventured further down the stairs. He stopped a few levels down and gripped the railing of a catwalk facing the vat.

"I seek audience with the Nestene Consciousness under peaceful contract according to Convention Fifteen of the Shadow Proclamation." The Doctor's voice boomed around them as she addressed the creature inside the vat. It churned and squealed in response. "Thank you. If I might have permission to approach?"

Rose didn't wait for the Nestene to respond as she spotted Mickey and ran farther down the catwalk. "Oh, God! Mickey, it's me! It's alright." Rose bent beside him in comfort as Sparrow followed.

"That thing down there, the liquid," Mickey began, but Sparrow cut him off.

"Yes Mickey, we know. It's alive, it can talk, and yes it's possibly dangerous. We're all caught up, now hush."

Rose sniffed him as Mickey nodded in fright at Sparrow's instructions. "You're stinking," Rose exclaimed. "Doctor, they kept him alive!"

Sparrow turned with Rose towards the Doctor as he spoke. "Yeah, that was always a possibility. Keep him alive to maintain the copy."

"You knew that and you never said?" Rose almost shouted.

"Can we keep the domestics outside, thank you?" The Doctor rolled his eyes at her response and Sparrow at his. He continued downwards, approaching the vat even closer on a platform.

The two girls stood to watch the Doctor from above as he negotiated with the orange liquid and Mickey stayed low as he clung to Rose's leg. The Doctor and the Nestene went back and forth in their remarks, the Doctor remaining calm as he spoke his and the Consciousness churning and squealing to his remarks. Two shop dummies approached and Rose yelled at the Doctor to warn him. "Doctor!"

It was too late, by the time he turned to look, the two dummies already had a hold of him where he couldn't escape. One grasped him from behind while the second searched his body. It found nothing and Sparrow's hand grazed across the tube in her pocket.

"What are you doing? I'm trying to help you, not attack." A panel behind them moved to reveal the TARDIS and the Doctor looked back at the Consciousness as it wailed.

"Oh, no, no. Yes, that's my ship." The liquid squealed again. "That's not true. I should know, I was there. I fought in the war, it wasn't my fault! I couldn't save your world, I could save any of them!" the Doctor pleaded.

"What is happening?" Rose yelled from their perch.

"It's the TARDIS! The Nestene's identified its superior technology and it's frightened. It's scared Rose, it's moving into the final phase, it's moving to the invasion. Just get out! You and Sparrow leg it, now!" the Doctor urged. There was a blast of electric energy from the vat that tore through the roof and all four of them stared at it in terror. "That's the activation signal, it's transmitting."

The signal boosted through the roof and to the London Eye where it carried across the city, causing the room to shake and multiple platforms to collapse. Rose pulled her phone out to call her mother and Mickey continued to cling to Rose like she was his life support. Sparrow dragged the two of them towards the TARDIS and continued to stare at the trapped man as he struggled. Rose's conversation on the phone seemed to drag on forever as Sparrow's eyes never broke contact with the man.

The plastic in the vat seemed to scream agitatedly again and churned in its container ferociously. "You two, get out! Just get out! Run!" The Doctor screamed.

Rose put her phone anyway and looked around frantically. "The stairs have gone!" She turned towards the TARDIS to try to open it but it was locked tight. "And I haven't got the key."

The two plastic men holding the Doctor attempted to push him in but he resisted just enough so that they failed. "No!" he yelled and Sparrow understood the churning plastic for the first time. "Time Lord," it hissed.

Those words snapped something in Sparrow and she ran to her right along the platform on their level. "Stay here!" she called over her shoulder towards Rose and Mickey.

In hurry, Sparrow ran to the nearest wall and undid a tied off rope tugging on it tightly. She wrapped a section of the rope around her hand pulled out the tube of anti-plastic with her other. "I really hope this works," she prayed to herself. Sparrow grasped onto the rope and leapt off the edge, swinging into one of the dummies holding the Doctor hostage. She yelled as he toppled into the Nestene and dissolved in the vat.

Unable to stop herself, Sparrow kept swinging forward until she was suspended over the large vat and her grip on the rope tightened, causing the glass tube to break. She gasped out in pain and dropped the remainder of the tube, the rest of the anti-plastic falling with it as she began to swing back over the platform.

From down below, Sparrow could hear the Doctor yelling at her to jump, but she couldn't let go. Her hands felt glued to the rope while her left one stung from the pieces of glass that had sliced it and she looked at the drop to the Doctor. He continued to urge her and she finally complied, releasing the rope, falling into the Doctor.

He grasped her as she fell into his arms and she clutched her hand. "I've got you," he reassured her and set the girl down, pulling her along as he ran up the stairs. He released her hand to unlock the TARDIS as the chamber began to explode around them and all four rushed inside the blue box.

The Doctor rushed maniacally to the console and began to operate the controls. The rotor began to move again and not soon after, it stopped. Mickey ran to the doors first and threw them open, rushing outside into an abandoned street. Rose followed him, picking him up from his hiding spot behind a pile of junk. Sparrow only half exited the TARDIS as she stood in the doorway, rolling her eyes at Mickey's childishness and grasped her hand.

She turned to look inside the TARDIS again, at the Doctor.

"That wasn't too bad." Sparrow shrugged nonchalantly.

"Ah, the Nestene Consciousness is easy."

Her eyebrows furrowed in annoyance "If it weren't for me, you could be dead right now."

"I know, and thank you for that." Sparrow smiled. He looked at her left hand and walked towards her, taking it gently in his own hand. "You know, it probably would have been easier if you had just dropped the tube."

"That wasn't exactly planned, you know."

He frowned. "Are you always this careless?"

"Are you always this irresponsible?" she spat back and pulled her hand out of his, regretting the ripping motion it caused the cut to make.

"What?"

"Letting two Earth girls tag along with no prior knowledge about what could happen. Are you always this daft?" She advanced on him as she scolded the man.

"Oi!"

"I mean really, Doctor!"

He didn't say anything back.

"Are you listening at all?"

"You just said my name for the first time, you know. I thought you would've said it sooner actually."

"Really? Well I suppose there's a first time for everything." There was still a ting of agitation in her voice.

There was a pause and the Doctor spoke again. "Come with me. Get a chance to say it plenty more. You can explore the universe, travel to different periods, see what else is out there," he offered.

"Time And Relative Dimension In Space," Sparrow repeated.

The Doctor raised an eyebrow as she said this. He didn't remember her being there for that explanation. As he recalled, she was too busy examining the inside of his TARDIS. He catalogued that mental note for later. "Exactly." The Doctor smiled.

Looking out the door to the TARDIS, Sparrow watched Rose comforting Mickey who was still frantically having an episode. "Aren't you going to invite Rose too?"

"Ah, I will. Figured I'd be chivalrous and ask the woman who saved my life first." His smile grew.

"My whole life, everything I've known has been so certain and logical, but this," She swept a hand towards the console. "This is insane, crazy, irrational, uncertain,"

"So you don't want to come?" The Doctor's smile fell and he stopped her before she rambled on any longer.

A smile broke across her face. "And it's exactly why I'm coming with you." The Doctor mimicked Sparrow's own smile. "You go ask Rose," She ushered for him to go and retreated to the captain's seat on the center platform, examining her hand. "I'll be waiting." Her voice was reassuring as the smirk reappeared of her lips. She lounged on the seat, relaxing, but anticipating what will come. _There's going to be an awful lot of running._

* * *

**Tadaa! What did everyone think? I'd love to hear thoughts if anyone is out there. On the bright side however, for anyone who does like this story, the new chapter will be up in another few days as well. Yay!**

**Again, looking forward to what everyone thinks. It's about the only true way I can tell how good I'm doing.**

**Love.**


	3. The End of the World

**Hello all! Technical chapter two is up and things are starting to heat up, quite literally (excuse the bad pun).**

**I've been getting lots of favorites and follows on this story so I guess that means you guys like it. Yay!**

* * *

The End of the World

Rose ran straight out of the TARDIS, full of enthusiasm, with Sparrow right behind her at a slower pace, though no less excited. They descended a flight of steps as the Doctor emerged from the TARDIS and moved to a panel on the wall. Next thing, a large shutter on the far wall began to descend, revealing a very close orbital view of a very old, very harsh looking Earth. Rose gaped at the view while Sparrow smiled largely at it. The Doctor followed behind them, strolling along as if it were nothing new. _Although, I suppose none of it is new for him. _

His voice drifted from behind them as he walked to stand between the two girls. "You lot, you spend all your time thinking about dying, like you're going to get killed by eggs, or beef, or global warming, or asteroids. But you never take time to imagine the impossible, that maybe you survive." He paused, waiting for a reaction from the girls but they were both speechless. "This is the year five point five slash apple slash twenty-six. Five billion years in your future and this is the day- Hold on." He looked at his wrist watch and there was a flash of yellow; a solar flare from the sun. "This is the day the Sun expands. Welcome to the end of the world." _Yes, great first date Doctor. Real charming._

Shuttles began to approach the station within Earth's orbit and a computer's voice flickered to life over the speaker system. _Shuttles five and six now docking. Guests are reminded that Platform One forbids the use of weapons, teleportation, and religion. Earth death is scheduled for fifteen thirty nine followed by drinks in the Manchester Suite. _The synthetic voice echoed off the walls as the three walked down a corridor, a girl on each side of the Doctor.

"So, when it says guests, does it mean people?" Rose asked, interested.

"Depends on what you mean by people." The Doctor smiled as he taunted the blonde.

Sparrow leaned around the Doctor so she could see the girl. "Aliens, Rose. He means aliens," she answered for her friend then leaned back in place. She looked up to the Doctor and saw him furrow his brow as his fun was pulled from him. She smirked in response.

"But why are they all here, what's it all for?" Rose continued with the questions again.

"It's not really a spaceship, more like an observation deck," he clarified. "The great and the good a gathering to watch the planet burn." He moved towards a wall and pulled out his sonic screwdriver, using it on a nearby panel.

"What for?" she pressed and the Doctor looked back at her with a smile on his face.

"Fun." Sparrow rolled her eyes at his remark. _How dismal. _

They entered a large area with a handful of display cases and a view overlooking the vast emptiness of space.

"Mind you, when I said the great and the good, what I mean is,"

"The rich?" Sparrow finished for him again. He looked at her curiously again.

They walked closer to the large display window and gazed out it briefly, then Rose turned to face the Doctor. "But, hold on. They did this once on Newsround Extra. The sun expanding, that takes hundreds of years." Sparrow wandered away from the two and ventured to look at some of the displays.

"Millions," he corrected. "But the planet's now property of the National Trust." The Doctor turned to look at Sparrow's reaction, but didn't see her anywhere nearby. He spotted her leaning against a wall, one leg propped up, drumming her fingers against her leg. "What are you doing over there? I'm explaining something completely new here."

Sparrow looked up at the Doctor while Rose was still marveling at deep space. "Hm? Just waiting for you two to finish, it's kind of cute."

"Do you not believe any of this?" He swept a hand across the room towards the display window. His voice sounded like it was getting increasingly agitated.

"Of course I do!" She pushed up off the wall and walked towards the display window. A pair of square, black framed glasses came out of her pocket and she placed them on the tip of her nose. "Rose is right. The sun should have expanded, but those things down there," She pointed to a set of stationary satellites around the Earth's orbit. "They must be holding the sun back so it can last longer. The continents too; they would have shifted but that Trust must have shifted them back to good ol' classic Earth." She gazed out the display window with Rose. Sparrow lowered her voice to a near whisper as if she were talking to herself, but knew the Doctor could hear her. "Everything has its time and everything dies. The Earth's had its." She took the glasses off and placed them in her pocket again, turning to look at the man. "I'm not so easily impressed. It'll take more than just the year five billion." She smirked at the perplexed man. _I didn't think I'd ever be able to make him speechless, that's new._ "Now, the end of the universe; that would be impressive. Who knows what you'd see there. How much farther ahead do you think that is, a few trillion years?" The Doctor stared at Sparrow while she stared back, matching his intensity as he tried to solve the mystery of the complex woman before him.

"Wait a sec," Rose jumped back to reality as she joined the conversation again. "You mean you aren't gonna save the planet?"

The Doctor broke eye contact with Sparrow and turned towards Rose; the serious look on his face lifted and was replaced by one of contempt. "No." He looked towards Sparrow to see if she had anything to add but she was already looking elsewhere, at a sealed door. Her fingers seemed to be moving too, as if they were counting down. The Doctor made a mental note of that.

"But what about all the people?"

_Three..._

"It's empty. They're all gone. No one's left."

_Two..._

"Just us, then." The blonde looked towards the other girl who smiled back at her in condolence.

_One._

Right on Sparrow's mark, a tall, blue-skinned person entered the display room through the door she had been looking at. He had features similar to a man, despite the golden slit eyes he bore and the blue skin, and strode towards them. "Who the hell are you?" he exclaimed.

The three turned to the voice; the Doctor with a smile, Rose with a blank, staring face, and Sparrow with a sad frown. Without missing a beat, the Doctor responded, "Oh, that's nice, thanks."

The blue man was still confused. "But how did you get in? This is a maximum hospitality zone. The guests have disembarked. They're on their way any second now." His voice seemed to get increasingly hysterical as he spoke.

"That's me. I'm a guest, look." The Doctor reached into his coat and pulled out a brown, leather flip wallet, flashing it at the newcomer as he spoke rapidly. "I've got an invitation. Look. There, you see? It's fine, you see? The Doctor plus two. I'm the Doctor, this is Rose Tyler and Alison Sparrow. They're my plus two. Is that all right?"

_How did he know my first name?_

"Well, obviously." He took a breath like he was calming himself and continued. "Apologies, et cetera. If you're on board, we'd better start. Enjoy." Sparrow sneered at his tone and watched as he walked away towards a small podium.

The Doctor smiled triumphantly showing Rose the small piece of paper. "The paper's slightly psychic. It shows them whatever I want them to see. Saves a lot of time." He then turned it to Sparrow and she stared at it.

"Can I? She held a hand out, asking for the flip wallet. He handed it over and watched her briefly as she examined it until his attention was pulled away by yet another question from Rose. Although in her defense, it was all new to her.

Sparrow examined the paper, turning the object around in her hand. There was no marking, no writing, no insignia, nothing. She pulled out her own wallet and from that a laminated piece of paper larger than a regular card, comparing the two. There was hardly a difference between them.

"Sparrow." She was interrupted as the Doctor called her name. She fumbled to put her own card back in her wallet, not bothering to put it back in a slot, then cramming the wallet back into her jeans. "Mind if I have that back now. Most the guests have already arrived."

Sure enough when Sparrow looked around the room, she saw it filled with a variety of different species. Tall, short, blue, wood, fat, cloaked, humanoid, and not. She handed back the psychic paper and stared at them all.

One set of aliens began to approach them. They looked exactly like talking, walking, functioning trees with faces wearing robes. The female one spoke aloud. "The Gift of Peace. I bring you a cutting of my grandfather." She handed the Doctor a small, rooted twig in a circular pot.

"Thank you." the Doctor remarked and Jabe looked at him expectantly. "Yes, gifts. Um." He passed the tree cutting to Sparrow and patted down his jacket, about to speak when a throat cleared beside him. Jabe and the Doctor both looked at the source of the noise.

"I have the gifts right here," Sparrow announced, passing the pot onto Rose. She took her wallet from her jeans pocket and unfolded it, taking out three notes from it and handing them to Jabe. She nodded slightly at the exchange if gifts and the female tree returned the gesture before continuing the circulation.

"Smart thinking," Rose commented.

"You dropped something." The Doctor noticed an object lying on the ground that fell out of Sparrow's wallet. It was the card she hastily set in her wallet before handing back the psychic paper to the Doctor and he bent to pick it up. He examined it momentarily, noticing there was nothing on the card, until Sparrow reached out and took it from his hands.

"Thank you," she smiled coyly at him, stowing the card in her back pocket.

Different species continued to approach the three of them. The Moxx of Balhoon, a plump, blue alien sitting in an anti-gravity chair, was next and drifted towards them.

"The Moxx of Balhoon," the Doctor narrated and Sparrow casually shifted her feet, moving behind the Doctor and Rose.

"My felicitations upon this historical happenstance. I give you the gift of bodily salivas." He spat into the open and it hit Rose in the face. She staggered, taken by surprise and disgusted by the action. Sparrow chuckled lightly and passed four more notes to the Doctor in which he handed the Moxx one.

As the Moxx drove his chair elsewhere, three hooded figures with gold chains around their necks and a large robotic claw took his place.

"Ah! The Adherents of the Repeated Meme. I bring you," The Doctor glanced at the money in his hands. "The currency of a primitive society." Sparrow nudged the Doctor in his side with her elbow at the obvious slur he was putting on humans. He acted as if nothing happened, handing the money to the figures and the center one held out a claw holding a metal ball.

"A gift of piece in all good faith." The Doctor took the ball and tossed it in the air, toying with it in his hands. He passed it to Sparrow but she did not pass it to Rose just yet. The girl examined the ball for herself, turning the cool, smooth sphere over in her hands multiple times before sighing and passing it on to Rose. She looked back in her wallet before putting it in her pocket and sighing again, this time more resigned. "All that only left me with five quid."

"At least you had enough though, even if you did have to waste all of it on aliens you'll probably never see again," Rose tried to reassure her.

"Somehow, that's not helping."

The Steward's voice called over the speakers again, introducing the last guest of Platform One. "And last but not least, our very special guest. Ladies and gentleman, and trees and multiforms, consider the Earth below. In memory of this dying world, we call forth the last human."

The Doctor turned to look at the reaction of the other two humans in the room. Rose's face was pure shock, while Sparrow's showed no notice of any type of upset or awe. She simply stood there with the same smirk on her face and arms folded across her chest as the sliding doors across the gallery opened. A face grafted onto a thin piece of skin, stretch in a rectangular frame entered the gallery. The last human was accompanied by two servants outfitted in top-to-toe hospital whites, carrying some sort of equipment. "The Lady Cassandra O'Brien Dot Delta Seventeen."

"Oh, now don't stare. I know, I know. It's shocking isn't it? I've had my chin completely taken away and look at the difference! Look how thin I am. Thin and dainty! I don't look a day over two thousand. Moisturizer me, moisturize me!" One of the attendants sprayed Cassandra with something from a canister and that seemed to please her as she continued talking. "Truly, I am the last human."

Rose began to drift towards Cassandra, closer and closer, to see how thin she really was and her shock seemed to grow more and more. Sparrow shook her head at the reaction as Cassandra continued on. "My father was a Texan, my mother was from the Arctic Desert. They were born on Earth and the last to be buried in its soil. I have come to honor them and say goodbye." She faked a sniffle as she talked about her dead parents and Sparrow snorted silently at the false action. One of the servants in white moved to wipe a tear from Cassandra's eye. "Oh, no tears, no tears. I'm sorry. But behold, I bring gifts. From Earth itself, the last remaining ostrich egg." One of the small, blue platform staff members carried in the ostrich egg and displayed it briefly to the guests before setting it on a pedestal for display. "Legend says it had a wingspan of fifty feet and blew fire from its nostrils. Or was that my third husband? Oh, no, Oh, don't laugh. I'll get laughter lines. And here, another rarity."

A nineteen fifties juke box was wheeled in and Rose stared at it like it was something alien. "According to the archives, this was called an iPod. It stores classical music from humanity's greatest composers. Play on!"

Another servant pressed a button on the machine and "Tainted Love" by Soft Cell began to fill the air. The Steward took center stage again and called out another announcement. "Refreshments will now be served. Earth death in thirty minutes."

Sparrow began to tap her fingers against the side of her legs to the song and the Doctor bobbed his head to the beat in a very jerky fashion. It made her laugh and the Doctor looked at the redhead, a huge grin on his face from being able to make her laugh. Sparrow smiled back at him then turned away to watch the large crowd of aliens interacting. Though it didn't bother her, she was still new to it and the sight was indeed fascinating. Sparrow spotted Rose across the room just in time to see her dash out of the gallery.

"Rose!" she called out and began to chase after the girl. The Doctor followed her lead, seeing the blonde run from the room, and chased after her as well. Sparrow followed Rose back to Gallery Fifteen, passing the TARDIS being carted off by staff, and hearing the Doctor shouting instructions and warnings at them. She arrived at the doorway and stopped herself under its frame, the Doctor nearly running in to her.

"There you are." Sparrow was using a well-practiced motherly voice, trying her best to comfort Rose. She stepped down the stairs, leaning against the edge the blonde was sitting on.

"Oh, I just needed some air." Rose turned as she saw it was Sparrow and the Doctor.

"In a space station?" Sparrow laughed at the ridiculousness of the comment and Rose joined with her slightly.

"What do you think then?" the Doctor added, wanting to know how much he impressed the girls and sat on the platform edge opposite next to the one Rose was one.

"Great. Yeah, fine. Once you get past the slightly psychic paper." She paused awkwardly, trying to think of something to say. "They're just so alien. The aliens are so alien. You look at 'em and they're alien."

"Good thing I didn't take you to the Deep South." Rose looked up at the Doctor's comment and eyes him curiously.

"Where are you from?"

"All over the place."

"They all speak English."

"No, you're just hearing English," he leaned back to lounge on the stone floor. It's a gift from the TARDIS. The telepathic field gets inside your brain and translates."

"It's inside my brain?"

"Well, in a good way," he corrected.

"Your machine gets inside my head. It gets inside and it changes my mind, and you didn't ask?"

"I didn't think about it like that?" Sparrow scoffed at the Doctor's response.

"No, you were too busy thinking up cheap shots about the Deep South. Who are you then, Doctor? What are you called? What sort of alien are you?" Rose pressed

"Rose," Sparrow warned.

"I'm just the Doctor."

"From what planet?"

"Well, it's not as if you'll know where it is!"

"Where are you from?"

"Rose!" the girl's head snapped towards Sparrow. "Do you think that's any polite? If he doesn't want to tell you, he must have a reason. Now just leave it!" Her voice was becoming increasingly agitated and she could feel her insides churn as she thought of the Doctor's lost plant and his entire species. The girl seemed to subside her questioning and Sparrow's voice softened as she spoke again. "It shouldn't matter where people come from, only that they're here to help and support us when we need it."

She looked towards the Doctor with a saddened smile and he got up from his ledge, walking down the set of stairs to stand in front of the display window.

"Earth Death in twenty minutes. Earth Death in twenty minutes," the synthetic voice of the computer called out.

Sparrow glared at the roof. _That computer seems to have the most depressing timing_, Sparrow thought as she watched Rose moved down the stairs too_. _

"I suppose," the blonde agreed. It's like my mate Shareen says, don't argue with the designated driver." She looked at Sparrow. "Although, it seems like you're becoming as much a driver as him." Rose pulled her phone out and looked at the screen. "Can't exactly call for a taxi anyway. There's no signal. We're out of range. Just a bit"

Sparrow sneered as she stood to look out the observation window again. "I could have told you that much."

"Tell you what," The Doctor took Rose's phone out of her hands and took the back plating off. "With a little bit of jiggery pokery." He replaced her battery with and alien one.

"Is that a technical term, jiggery pokery?" Rose asked in a much lighter mood.

"Yeah. I came first in jiggery pokery. What about you?"

"Nah, I failed hullabaloo."

"Oh. There you go." The Doctor handed Rose her phone back and she dialed her phone to call her mum. "Now it's your turn." Sparrow looked up to see the Doctor turned around and gesturing it her. "Let me see your phone." He held his hand out to her.

"I haven't got one."

"Right, that's new. A young girl without a cell phone." He scoffed at the idea.

Rose put a hand over the microphone of her phone and called out to the Doctor. "It's true. I can only ever reach her on her house phone. Jess made her get it. She said she was getting tired of calls on her phone for Sparrow."

With that Rose turned back to her conversation on her phone and the Doctor looked back at Sparrow. "No phone, really?" She shrugged. "Wait, who's Jess?"

"My flatmate. When I decided to move to London I didn't have a place to live. I ended up meeting Jess in a shop and we ended up sharing little flat together not long after. You should meet her one day." Sparrow stopped to think about what she just said. "On second thought, maybe not. She's got quite the libido."

The two chuckled at the light comment and the Doctor had a sudden realization. "You said when you decided to move to London. Where did you move from?"

"Cardiff. Though that's not where I'm originally from. Really I come from New York over in America."

"So you are American! I thought so." he shouted like he had just solved a very large secret.

"Yeah. What gave it away, the lack of accent?" She rolled her eyes as sarcasm rolled off her tongue.

"Well, just because you don't have a London accent, doesn't mean you're from America."

"You're right. With this accent, I could be from Lithuania for all you know." She laughed at the look of annoyance she got from the Doctor. She heard Rose click off on her call with her mother and looked at the blonde briefly before turning back to the Doctor. "Bet the bill on that is incredible, you know, being able to make calls on that throughout time and space."

Any response, witty or not, from the Doctor was interrupted by a sudden shake in the space station. It wasn't enough to send anyone toppling over, but it was enough that they could feel the ground shake beneath their feet. "That's not supposed to happen," the Doctor remarked and not soon after, all three of them ran for the Observation Gallery.

They made it through the doorway, Sparrow on the Doctor's left with Rose on Sparrow's as he examined a console near the door. "That wasn't a gravity pocket. I know gravity pockets and they don't feel like that." The Doctor turned to face Jabe, standing there as if she were waiting for the Doctor's return. "What do you think, Jabe? Listen to the engines. They've pitched up about thirty hertz. That dodgy or what?"

"It's the sound of metal. It doesn't make any sense to me." Jabe had a confused look as she considered the metal sound.

"Where's the engine room?"

"I don't know, but the maintenance duct is just behind our guest suit, I could show you and your wife." She turned towards Sparrow, looking her up and down as if examining her. The girl was surprised that Jabe was gesturing to her instead of Rose and then quickly shifted uncomfortably under her gaze.

"She's not my wife."

"Partner?"

"No."

"Concubine?"

"Nope."

"Prostitute?"

"Actually, he's my father," Sparrow cut in. She couldn't help herself and smiled at Jabe first, then the Doctor to see a completely shocked look on his face. "Yeah, _Daddy _likes to take me traveling," she patted his shoulder. "But it does seem to have taken a toll on his youth."

"Whatever I am, it must be invisible. Tell you what, you two can go pollinate. I'll take your _daughter _and catch up with family. Quick word with Michael Jackson over there." Rose nodded towards Cassandra, grabbing Sparrow by her arm and dragging her away.

"Don't start a fight," the Doctor called after them and offered an arm to Jabe. "I'm all yours."

"Don't worry Dad, I'll make sure she stays good," Sparrow yelled over her shoulder and then stopped to turn. "And I want you home by midnight!"

The two girls giggled as they walked farther into the gallery room and the computer made its timed announcements again. "Earth Death in fifteen minutes. Earth Death in fifteen minutes." They found Cassandra at an observation window overlooking the decrepit Earth. Upon hearing the girls approach, Cassandra began to monologue. "Soon the sun will blossom into a red giant, and my home will die. That's where I used to live, when I was a little boy, down there. Mummy and Daddy had a little house built into the side of the Los Angeles Crevice. I'd have such fun."

"That actually sounded beautiful for a moment, until it got depressing," Sparrow mumbled under her breath, but the other two either ignored it or didn't hear her.

"What happened to everyone else?" Rose moved to stand beside her as she asked and Sparrow followed. "The human race, where did it go?"

"They say mankind has touched every star in the sky."

"So, you're not the last human." The tone in her voice made it sound like Rose wished for the statement to be true, to have anyone but her be the last human.

"I am the last _pure_ human. The others mingled. Oh, they call themselves New Humans and Proto-Humans and Digi-Humans, even humanish, but you know what I call them? Mongrels." Cassandra seemed to growl the last word as if it were slander. Sparrow took a deep breath, trying not to over act to the actions of the "last" human.

"Right and you stayed behind."

"I kept myself pure."

"How many operations have you had?" Rose asked, her words turning more cynical the longer she spoke to Cassandra.

"Rose." The warning tone was back in Sparrow's voice.

"No, it's alright. I don't mind." Sparrow had a feeling that Cassandra would be waving her hand at her if she had one. "Seven hundred and eight. Next week, it's seven hundred and nine. I'm having my blood bleached. Is that why you wanted a word. You could be flatter, Rose. You've got a bit of a chin poking out."

"I'd rather die."

"Honestly, it doesn't hurt."

"No, I mean it." Rose's temper began to flare as spite filled her. "I would rather die. It's better to die than to live like you, a bitchy trampoline."

"Oh, well, what do you know." Cassandra was done with the girl, dismissing her like she was another servant.

"I was born on that planet, and so was my mum, and so was my dad, and that makes me officially the last human being in this room, Sparrow the other, 'cause you're not human." Sparrow tried to stop her friend from her rampage but she wouldn't quit. "You've had it all nipped and tucked and flattened till there's nothing left. Anything human got chucked in the bin. You're just skin, Cassandra. Lipstick and skin. Nice talking."

Rose turned to walk away and left Sparrow to try and make things better for her. The red head turned and tried to apologize to Cassandra. "I'm sorry. This is new to her, she's still trying to get used to it, and God she would kill me if she knew I was apologizing for her. Just, please, don't take it to heart." She looked at Cassandra's skin, unsure if she even had a physical heart anymore.

"It's not your fault. Not many other people would be able to stand their first burning planet much either." Cassandra's tone had shifted considerably lighter than it had been with her chat with Rose.

"Yeah. I'm sure that's why." Sparrow made no correction to the real reason Rose might have been upset.

"Hm, you know I used to have red hair like yours back in my physical days. It wasn't as vibrant, but it definitely had more luster and life to it."

"I'm not sure if I should consider that a compliment or an insult." Sparrow's eyes glared at the sheet of skin.

"Now dear, don't be like your friend. For a humanish child you really aren't that bad. A little more curved than necessary perhaps." Sparrow shifted uncomfortably again as she felt eyes appraising her and folder her arms over her chest, not in an impatient way, but a concealing way.

"Well, thank you Cassandra, and again I am sorry about earlier. I do hope you have a wonderful Earth Death viewing." She slowly began to back away and eventually turned to continue her walk away. She scanned the room for her blonde friend but there was no sight of her. _Rose! _

Sparrow ran through the crowd of aliens with enough ease towards the exit of the gallery room and into the station's corridors. The farther she moved down the halls the more clouded they seemed to get. Smoke filled the air and the smell of something burning filled her nose to the point that it stung. She made a left turn, skidding to a halt as she found the source of the smoke and terrible burning smell.

Around a dozen of the tiny blue workers were gathered around the door to the Steward's office, clamoring about, unsure of what to do. The smoke was escaping through the cracks between the door and the walls and billowed into the air. From the small glass window on the door, a scorching light cut through and reflected onto the wall opposite of the door.

Sparrow pushed through the crowd and made her way to the control panel on the wall beside the doorway. She had to try to raise the sun filter or else it could just be trouble later and it would have been an indecency to the Steward's dead body to just leave it there baking.

She punched a few of the keys on the screen but nothing was working. As a next resort, the girl moved to her knees and tore off the front plating to the control panel. The blue aliens, now her height, continued to fuss around Sparrow but she ignored them. The open panel revealed a mass of wires and more metal that would have left an average person feeling completely hopeless, but Sparrow wasn't average and she wasn't hopeless. She sifted through the wires and found the one that she was looking for, pulling it out of its socket.

To Sparrow's relief, and the blue aliens around her, the computer began to repeat that the sun filter was now rising, rather than descending and Sparrow wasted no extra time in that hall. She moved to her feet and hurriedly asked the nearest servant where she could find the Doctor. "Jabe's suit, where is it?" The little servant didn't seem to understand and Sparrow began to shout. "The Forest of Chem! Come on, tell me."

This seemed to register within their mind and instructed Sparrow the direction to go. She ran through the corridors again and found the maintenance duct behind Jabe's room, descending down its path. It was dark and cool, but not dark enough that Sparrow couldn't see her way. The walls were lined with wires and metal tubes of all kinds, some held behind metal gratings, and other protruding from the wall itself. Sparrow saw an open panel and knew the Doctor had been through there recently. She began in a sprint again, farther down the tunnel, ducking under metal and cables until she came to an arch leading into an open area. It was a large and empty concrete room, save for the large consecutive spinning fans in the center, rotating fiercely above a catwalk.

Sparrow wasn't the only one in the room. She walked in spotting both the Doctor and Jabe staring at a spot high above on the wall. She didn't move as the Doctor took out his sonic screwdriver and pulsed it at a small, metal spider with a singular optic lens. Jabe then proceed to whip it down with a vine-like rope that, from what Sparrow could tell, protruded as part of her arm.

The Doctor looked up from their capture and spotted Sparrow standing in the doorway. "What are you doing here? Where's Rose?"

"There's no time for questions. We've got to go."

"But what about-" The Doctor began to lift his hand to the metal spider in Jabe's own hands but Sparrow cut him off. She grabbed his raised hand and proceeded to pull him out of the engine room.

"Leave the suspicious spider to Jabe. We have to go, now!" She emphasized each word of her last sentence very thoroughly to let the Doctor know something was wrong.

They raced out of the maintenance duct and through the corridors, passing the Steward's office on the way. Upon reaching the office and seeing the leftover smoke and smelling the burnt man, the Doctor stopped, halting Sparrow as well.

"Wait, what about here?" he asked, confused why the girl would run past it if she was trying to show him something wrong and this obviously was.

"I took care of it already. Right now we need to be worrying about Rose." Sparrow tugged on his hand again and they resumed running. "She's trapped in Gallery Fifteen, and the sun filter is set to descend any minute now." The Doctor finally understood what was wrong and set his mind on helping Rose as they ran through the hall. They reached the door of Gallery Fifteen and the Doctor worked on opening the door from the panel while Sparrow pounded on the door.

"Rose, are you in there? Rose!"

"I thought you knew she was in there." the Doctor asked, confused by the girl's action and she turned to look at him.

"Let's call it a very good guess." She turned back to the door and resumed pounding. "Rose!"

Through the door, the two were able to hear a muffled voice talking to them. "What is it, where am I?" Her voice was unreasonably calm for what was about to happen.

"Rose, I need you to stay calm. The sun filter is set to descend in that room but I have the Doctor here. He's working on stopping the timer," Sparrow informed the trapped Rose. As soon as Sparrow finished cluing Rose in, the computer began to narrate its instructions.

"Sun filter descending. Sun filter descending."

_This computer has a real sick sense of humor. _Sparrow turned to the Doctor. "Oi, you were supposed to stop it, not start it," she hissed at the man.

"Sun filter descending. Sun filter descending."

"I'm trying, but the computer is fighting against me," he growled.

"Sun filter descending."

"It's a machine, you're a man. Try to figure out who has more authority and get this door open!" Sparrow's voice slowly climbed from normality the more her statement progressed and she slammed a hand on the metal door for emphasis, her fiery hair falling out of place. Once Sparrow was done with her small thrashing she turned to do her best in comforting her friend.

"Sun filter descending. Sun filter descending."

"Open the door! Hurry!" the blonde shouted through the metal door.

"Rose, you need to listen to me. Stay away from the sun glare. Okay? Don't let it touch you or else you're going to burn. Just, keep away from it, the Doctor's almost done." She lowered her voice to a hiss again and turned to face the man and the panel. "You are almost done aren't you?"

"Sun filter descending. Sun filter rising. Sun filter rising."

"Aha, I got it!" he exclaimed and then frowned as he tried to open the door. "The whole things jammed. I can't open the doors. Stay there! Don't move!" This time the Doctor grabbed Sparrow's hand and began to pull her away from Gallery Fifteen towards the Observation Gallery. As they moved away from the door, both could hear Rose yelling some sort of remark at him through the door.

As they ran Sparrow tucked her hair behind her ears again. She had everything back into place just as they entered the gallery and made it just in time to hear Jabe finishing up her summary of what was happening. The rest of the guests aboard the platform were crowded around in a large circle as they listened, most with fear plastered upon their faces. "The spider devices have infiltrated the whole of Platform One." As the Doctor passed Jabe, he took the disabled spider from her hand and continued walking.

"How is that possible? Our private rooms are protected by a code wall. Moisturize me. Moisturize me." Cassandra's tone indicated that she was obviously more concerned about her skin than the current situation.

"Summon the Steward," the Moxx demanded.

"The Steward is dead," Sparrow chimed in for her part.

"Who killed him?" Cassandra cut in again before anyone could respond to the Moxx's question this time.

"This whole event was sponsored by the Face of Boe. He invited us. Talk to the Face. Talk to the Face." The Face of Boe shook his head and grumbled from his large jar as Cassandra accused him

_Is that supposed to be something like an insult, or is it just a cheap comeback like talk to the hand? _Sparrow wondered as she listened to the flap of skin become hysterical.

"Easy way to find out. Someone brought their little pet on board. Let's send him back to his master." The Doctor reactivated the spider and set it on the ground, allowing it to scurry off to its owner.

The metal arachnid skittered across the floor, momentarily stopping in front of Cassandra who didn't look too distressed at all. After a quick look over, the spider moved on and everyone watched as it stopped and settled in front of three hooded figures standing off to the side.

"The Adherents of the Repeated Meme. J'accuse!" Cassandra narrated for the group.

Sparrow rolled her eyes as the Doctor walked towards them, though she stayed where she was.

"That's all very well, and really kind of obvious, but if you stop and think about it," One of the nodded figures raises his clawed hand to attack the Doctor but he caught it and pulled the arm off. "A Repeated Meme is just an idea. And that's all they are, an idea." He reached for one the wires at the end of the arm and pulled on it, causing all three Adherents to collapse, leaving just their robes behind. "Remote controlled droids. Nice little cover for the real troublemaker. Go on Jimbo. Go home." The Doctor nudged the spider with his foot, ushering it to go back to its correct controller again. The spider again moved in front of Cassandra and stayed there this time. The flap of skin confessed.

"I bet you were the school swot and never got kissed," she spat at the Doctor. "At arms!" Her assistants raised and pointed their spray canisters at the man and he laughed at the action.

"What are you going to do, moisturize me?"

"With acid." Her voice seemed to be dripping with acid on its own as she spoke, then returned to its normal sweet tone. "Oh, you're too late anyway. My spiders have control of the mainframe. Oh, you all carried them as gifts, tax free, past every code wall. I'm not just a pretty face." All the other guests seemed to grimace at her remarks.

"Sabotaging a ship while you're still inside? How stupid's that?

"I'd hoped to manufacture a hostage situation with myself as one of the victims. The compensation would have been enormous."

"Five billion years and it still comes down to money," Sparrow muttered under her breath, but Cassandra still heard her and glared at the girl.

"Do you think it's cheap looking like this? Flatness costs a fortune. I am the last human, Doctor. Not those freaky little kids of yours." Her eyes darted to Sparrow as she mentioned her.

"Arrest the infidel!" the Moxx declared, but Cassandra cut over him.

"Oh, shut it, pixie. I've still got my final option.

"Earth Death in five minutes," the synthetic voice announced.

"And here it comes. You're just as useful dead, all of you. I have shares in your rival companies and they'll triple in price as soon as you're dead. My spiders are primed and ready to destroy the safety systems. How did that old Earth song go?" Burn, baby, burn." Her voice turned menacing.

"Then you'll burn with us," Jabe chimed in, confident in her speech.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I know the use of teleportation is strictly forbidden, but I'm such a naughty thing. Spiders, activate!"

A series of explosions erupted around the platform and shook the station more fiercely this time. As Sparrow looked around frantically, she practically missed Cassandra's narration again and barely saw her and her two assistants disappear in a bright light. Once Cassandra was gone, Sparrow looked back towards the group of trapped hostages as the computer reported the platform's status.

"Heat levels rising."

"Reset the computer," the Moxx instructed.

"Only the Steward would know how," Jabe commented.

"No, we can do it by hand. There must be a system restore switch." The Doctor corrected and turned to Sparrow's section on of the crowd. "Jabe, Sparrow, come on." He began to walk out the door and the two girls followed. He turned back to the crowd. "You lot, just chill."

Jabe tried to follow farther but Sparrow stopped her. "You need to stay here, Jabe. You mean a lot to the Doctor, I don't want you to have to die." She seemed to understand and stood back at Sparrow's instruction.

"You seem to know very much being just the Doctor's daughter."

"Oh, I'm not his daughter. Not really."

Jabe chuckled. "I figured as much. He seems to fancy you too much for that kind of relationship."

Sparrow looked at the tree, confused by her remark but was called by the Doctor before she could get anymore clarification. "Sparrow, Jabe! Hurry!" She caught up with the Doctor soon enough and they made it to the engine room in record time.

"Earth Death in four minutes. Earth Death in four minutes. Heat levels critical. Heat levels critical."

"Oh, and guess where the switch is." The Doctor's voice was filled with sarcasm as he pointed out the switch on the other side of the large, razor sharp fans. He moved to the wall and pulled down a breaker lever, slowing the fans down, but quickly speeding up as he released the device.

"External temperature five thousand degrees."

Sparrow quickly tore off her jacket and wrapped it around the lever's handle, pulling it down and slowing the fans. The Doctor turned back at the sound of the lever locking in its down position to see Sparrow holding it and a look of worry passed over his face. "Where's Jabe?"

"I told her to stay. The heat would have killed her."

"What about you?"

"I'm not made of wood, and I should have given us a few extra minutes. Now go, we don't have the time!" Sparrow bit her tongue back from saying anything else and ushered the man to move forward.

"Heat levels rising. Heat levels rising."

The Doctor seemed to understand there was no arguing with the girl and smiled as he advanced towards the cat walk. Sparrow watched as he made it past the first fan with enough ease, the temperature beginning to rise rapidly in the engine room. She draped herself over the lever, hair falling over her shoulders and hunching her back over the device so that her weight might provide more support.

As time wore on, Sparrow kept her eyes set on the Doctor, willing herself to focus on anything but how heavy the device was getting. He reached the second fan and looked back at the girl. She tried to hide the pained look on her face as the heat from the metal began to seep through her jacket, not wanting to burden the Doctor with anything more.

The second fan passed just as easily as the first one, but Sparrow could feel her arms beginning to quiver as the temperature continued to climb. _Not good, not good, _she chanted in her head and closed her eyes, taking deep breaths as she tried to steady herself. She didn't realize that it was over and done with until the Doctor was speaking into her ear.

"Sparrow. Sparrow, you can let go now." Her eyes snapped open in a gasp and she turned her head to look at the man through wisps of crimson hair, meeting his bright blue eyes. "It's done, everything's fine. You did it."

The girl nodded slightly as she peeled her fingers from her jacket around the lever. The Doctor kept a hand on the control, removing her jacket and letting it snap back into place. Sparrow moved her hand to her head and began to stumble without any more support.

"Oh, my head," she groaned.

"I've got you." He quickly shifted his attention from the lever to the unstable girl, wrapping his hands around her to keep her up right.

"Thanks. That's the second time you've said that now in," she stopped to think. "Five billion years."

"That's chivalry for you." He jokingly smiled and began leading her through the engine room door and back through the maintenance shaft.

"You and I make a pretty good team." Sparrow's voice was groggy as she spoke.

"I wasn't even aware we were a team." The smile on his face grew.

"That's the point of the saying." She sighed. "First the Nestene Consciousness, now crazy thousand year old flaps of human skin. Just wait until it's the Gelth and Charles Dickens. It was easier this time though; I was just waiting for it. I remember it was only when the Nestene called out those two words that I snapped into action."

"You're delirious, you really should rest." The Doctor tried to get Sparrow to stop but she kept on going, heat exhaustion clouding her mind as she spoke.

"'Time Lord,' it said, and it's like everything came back in a sudden haze. It all clicked and I realized you were really real, my coming here was real, the TARDIS was real, what happened to you was real." She turned her head to look at the Doctor and he stopped. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

The Doctor's brow's stitched together and he looked towards a nearby door. "Let's let you rest here while I finish things up. It might get a little overwhelming for you in your condition." He helped Sparrow sit on the ground and she leaned her head against the wall behind her while he set her jacket next to her.

"You're not going to leave me here, are you?" Sparrow checked.

"Wouldn't even think about it." He smiled at her and she closed her eyes, content with the answer.

She heard the door open and muttered something before he left. "Don't forget to check the ostrich egg." After that, sleep over took her. For all Sparrow knew though, it could have been unconsciousness from dehydration.

"Alright, up you go."

Sparrow was shaken awake as she felt someone lifting her off the ground. At first she thought nothing of it, but as she focused more her mind began to question who her holder was.

"Who?" Her voice was more normal than it was before.

"It's the Doctor," he answered.

Sparrow was more coherent now and less disoriented than before. She chuckled. "_Doctor Who._"

"Rose is here to."

"We're headed back to the TARDIS," Rose chimed in. "Figured we should get you taken care of. I heard what you did, saving all those people like that. Next time try not to be so stupid about it." She gave her friend a light punch in the arm.

Sparrow snorted. "You're one to talk. Who got themselves knocked out and stuck in a room to be roasted alive by the Sun's glare?"

"Nice to see you're back to normal," the Doctor laughed at how quickly she reverted back to normal after a few minutes of rest.

The three proceeded into the TARDIS and the Doctor set a few coordinates into the console, sending them back to Earth, present day. Rose was the first to walk out and the Doctor turned to Sparrow, gesturing for her to come along to, but she shook her head.

"Rose needs the comforting more than I do. I'll just wait here." Sparrow informed him as she leaned against one of the coral structures. The Doctor looked as if he wasn't satisfied enough with that answer and Sparrow sighed.

"Please, I just need a moment to rest still." He still didn't say anything and Sparrow could guess that he probably had some questions or accusations to make about her. She may have been delirious after saving Platform One, but that didn't mean she didn't remember all those things she accidentally let slip in her state. Sparrow bit her bottom lip as she remembered them all. "I'm not going anywhere, I promise." She smiled sheepishly. "Go explain to Rose and eat your chips, I'll be here."

The Doctor didn't say anything as he looked into Sparrow's eyes. He didn't trust her completely after their last adventure but the look he saw said that he could trust her on this. "We'll be back in less than ten minutes. Don't get into anything," he ordered, a warning tone to his voice.

He walked out of the blue box, closing the door behind him, perhaps a little too harshly, and left Sparrow to her thoughts in the TARDIS. She wasn't entirely worried that the Doctor would do anything rash, he had seen strange things before and Sparrow didn't think her scenario would be any exception. When she heard the latch on the door click, Sparrow knew that the Doctor had locked her in so she couldn't go anywhere and that was when she started to worry.

* * *

**Dun, dun, duh! Will the Doctor boot Sparrow from the TARDIS? Spoilers, probably not because then that would be the end I intend to write a butt load more chapters for this story. **

**Next chapter we learn a whole lot more about Alison Sparrow.**

**Well, as always, let me know what you think!**


	4. Sparrow

**Hey look, my first review. Short, sweet, and to the point. Thank you Boomerpyro! **

**So anyway, who want's to know more about Alison Sparrow, where she comes from, and what she knows? If so, you know, read on and stuff. If not, well, i would suggest reading anyways.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

Sparrow

"You're going on without me! Why?" Sparrow was utterly disappointed when the Doctor and Rose came back from their little date, only to be told that she was going to be dropped off back home.

"Really Doctor, why can't she come?" Rose was just as perplex and uniformed as her friend. The sudden action seemed to have even angered her a bit. He didn't say anything as he worked around the console, operating different parts of the Tardis. "Doctor!"

From Sparrow's view it looked like Rose was beginning to fight this battle for her and she didn't want that. Not because it would have been weak or wrong, but because for the first time she didn't know what was going to happen in the conversation to follow and Sparrow didn't want to frighten her friend any more than she already would be.

Rose was about to speak again but Sparrow placed a hand on her shoulder causing the blonde to falter. She looked back at Sparrow but she made no acknowledgement of Rose and began to talk herself instead. "Doctor, there's no need to be rash here. If there's anything I can do to make things right I will." Her voice would have been soothing in any other circumstance but the extra demand in her speech made it more authoritative.

The Doctor looked up at the girls finally, only settling on Sparrow's face. "Alison Deirdre Sparrow," he stated harshly. She raised an eyebrow at her full name, still confused on how he came to know it, but also unsure as to where this would lead. "After that first night I met you, I did a little research. You seemed to know a little too much for just meeting me in the basement of your work for the first time. It wasn't that hard to go through the shop's records and so I got a little background information. Female. Born November twenty-first, nineteen eighty-three. Single. Address; Flat ten, Verwood House, Cobbett Street, London SW eight, one AG. You applied to one single job over a year ago at Henrick's as a maintenance engineer and got it with flying colors. Funny thing is though, after that there's hardly any information on you. No birth certificate, no hospital records, no education degrees, no newspaper articles. It's like you haven't even existed since a year and a half ago."

Sparrow held her head up high as he listed everything off that he knew about her demographically. Her body was tense and Rose even began to look at her with a mixture of horror and concern as she slowly began to recoil from the girl next to her. "Sparrow?" she asked questioningly.

"So what's your question for me?" Sparrow ignored Rose as she was more concerned with the Doctor at the moment.

"Who are you, really?"

The accused girl folded her arms across her chest and stared at the man intently, never breaking eye contact with him. "I doubt you would believe me."

"I've been traveling for seven hundred years, there's not much that an ape could say to surprise me." His voice had lowered, but there was still a tone of harshness to it.

There was no response as Sparrow still stood as she was, still staring at him, deciding what she should say.

The Doctor's face was stern as he pulled a lever down on the console. There was a slight shaking from the Tardis and then it stopped, signifying they had landed. "Alright, if you want to be like that," He moved towards Sparrow, grabbing her arm and dragging her towards the exit. She winced as his grip was slightly too tight.

"What are you doing, let go!" she exclaimed. Sparrow could hear Rose following them, making her own protests at the Doctor's actions.

The Doctor pulled her through the doors of the Tardis, letting go once they were all outside and his body blocked the entrance back in. Sparrow stumbled to keep balance and caught herself before falling backside first onto the tarmac.

They were outside a pale building lined with rows of red doors and a short iron gate encasing the front entrance. Trees and shrubs spotted the garden and Sparrow frowned at the sight of her estate.

"Here you are then, home. I'll give you one last chance to tell me what's really going on or I'm getting back in my ship and flying off."

"This seems a little extreme, Doctor," Rose added, unsure of why he was taking this so seriously.

"If she wants to keep secrets that's her business, but I'm not having it on my ship."

Sparrow huffed, annoyed by his words. "For someone who doesn't like secrets, you're keeping a pretty big one," she accused, raising her voice." The Doctor appeared to be hardly fazed by her remark, but Sparrow could see underneath his mask a flicker of the Oncoming Storm as began to regret opening her mouth.

He stared at her briefly before speaking again. "Okay, fine." He turned to step back into his Tardis and leave the girl behind. "Come on Rose."

Sparrow took a step forward and reached her hand out to touch the back of the man's leather jacket. "Wait! I'm sorry." She removed her hand as she felt him begin to turn. His piercing blue eyes stared intently at her as he waited for her to continue. "It's just that it's hard to explain. No one would ever believe me. You might, but I don't know if you'll like it." She took a deep breath and took her keys out of her pocket. "But I'll tell you anyway. Come on."

Sparrow jerked her head towards the building and began to walk towards it, not bothering to check if they were following. She knew that at least the Doctor would want to hear, and Rose would follow him.

They walked up to the third floor and to Sparrow's red door and she undid the lock, stepping inside the flat. Just as she did the last time she arrived back home, Sparrow called out for her flatmate, only this time her voice was cautious. "Jess!" No response. "Andy?"

There was still nothing and Sparrow moved farther in, allowing the other two to follow. The Doctor and Rose entered her flat, hardly observing anything around them as they waited for Sparrow to speak.

"So, I'm guessing no tea or coffee. Just get right down to it, yeah?" Sparrow tried to make light of the situation but the Doctor didn't alter his expression, signaling that he wasn't amused. She sighed and reached for her back pocket. "I guess if anything, I should start with this."

Out came Sparrow's wallet and from that she took out the blank laminated card, holding it up for the other two to see.

"It's blank," Rose pointed out. Sparrow lowered the card for a brief moment before handing it to her.

"Read it."

Rose looked at her, confused as to what she was going to read from the blank card. She looked down and her brows furrowed as she saw text on what she could have sworn had none. "Degree of Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering, Columbia University. It's even got the stamp and signature." She passed the card to the Doctor and he concentrated on it.

"You've got a piece of psychic paper?" Sparrow nodded her head. "How did you get this? No humans should have this, especially not one from your time period."

"I got it in the mail one day. Just the card. No introduction, no letter. Hang on a second. Just, uh," She gestured to the furniture in the lounge. "Just take a seat, there's something I need to grab." She moved to walk down the hall, disappearing into her bedroom along the left wall. The other two could hear as she opened drawers and searched through objects to find what she was looking for.

Not two minutes later, Sparrow reemerged with an opened envelope in one hand and something that she was keeping hidden behind her back clutched in the other. She walked back to the main room and handed the envelope to the Doctor sitting on the sofa. "That's what it came in. No return address, no identifying markings, just my own apartment address."

"Sixty-one Tiemann Place, Apartment forty-six, New York, New York," he read from the envelope out loud. "You got this before you moved to London?"

Sparrow shrugged and sat on the arm of the sofa next to him. "Like I said, that was all I got. I hung it up on my fridge just because I thought it was all rather curious; I didn't know what it was and _someone_ had to have sent it to me. Actually, I wasn't even completely sure of what it was until I got a good look at yours earlier."

"Back on Platform One," the Doctor clarified and Sparrow nodded in acknowledgement.

"Occasionally I thought I'd seen little notes or marks on the card but it was never anything that I could make out. By the time I really got a look at it, they were gone and I thought I was just going mad." She took a deep breath before continuing. "This is where it starts to sound a little too much like science fiction. One day I caught a glimpse of those incoherent markings, except this time they formed a message."

"What did it say?" Rose was leaning in from an arm chair across the sofa to listen, like someone was telling a scary story around a camp fire.

"'Come to Cardiff, England. Urgent.' That's all it ever said after that whenever I checked it. The same message just flashing at me over and over. Come to Cardiff. Come to Cardiff, like someone was calling me."

"And you actually went? You listened to the mysterious paper that some stranger mailed to you and you left home, for _Cardiff_?" Sparrow sighed internally as the Doctor seemed to be relaxing a bit. He was no longer as tough and rigid as earlier when he threatened to leave her behind.

She only shrugged in response to his statement and continued. "I bought a round trip ticket for Cardiff and left about a week and a half later. I was only planning to be gone three maybe four days tops so I used some sick time at work. I was nothing fancy, just maintenance staff plus some IT work; pretty much what I did at Henrick's. That's partially why I went for that job in London," Sparrow clarified before continuing. "But when I got to Cardiff, there was nothing."

The Doctor was almost ecstatic at hearing this and began a small rant. "Nothing? What do you mean nothing? Usually when you get a message on the psychic paper, it leads to something, not nothing."

"What do you want me to say? I got there and I found a mysterious man in a trench coat with space-age technology and all the answers," her voice was dripping with sarcasm. "I got to Cardiff and there was no one waiting for me. Not at the airport, not at my hotel, even the paper stopped. I haven't gotten a single message since then."

"I thought you said you had only been planning to stay a few days. Why did you end up moving to London?" Rose asked, picking up on that small detail.

"That's where it got weird."

"What, because mysterious envelopes with alien paper in them isn't weird enough?" The Doctor hushed Rose so that Sparrow could continue.

"I figured while I was in England I might as well do a little sightseeing. It's not very often that I get out on a vacation, especially one to another country. Even for Cardiff it was beautiful, the city, the history, the bay." Sparrow stopped herself before she got to side tracked and cleared her throat, continuing with her story. "I took that chance and also went to visit London; it was only a few hours away so I took a train. I acted like a normal tourist, the whole ordeal with the psychic paper far from my mind. That is until I came across a shop, Henrick's."

The other two stared at Sparrow, confused. They didn't understand why a department store would have been odd to her, but she couldn't explain, not until she finished telling them everything else. That secret was best kept for last.

"I'll explain in a minute." Sparrow held up a finger to let them know she still had more. "That was the first time I met you, Rose." Sparrow turned to smile at her friend. "I walked in and you were working on the floor that day. You probably barely recognized me after that; I only said a greeting in passing. It was just overwhelming though. I had to take a breather and went to a coffee shop, any normal shop. That's where I met Jess and her brother Andy."

Sparrow smiled as she remembered meeting her to-be flatmate and friend, slipping into a happy nostalgia. "I remember the cappuccino he bought me because I was new in town. We ended up talking for hours and hours. Both of them were saddened to find out I wasn't actually staying in London, only passing though, but Jess gave me her number any way. She said that if I ever stopped by to give her a call. She had a spare room that she rented out occasionally or let people crash in if they had too much for one night. Andy gave me his number too, though not a subtly as his sister, but it's the thought that counts, right?"

She shook her head, getting her story straight again. "Anyway, the vacation ended and it was time to go back to the airport for my return flight, but the attendant said they had no matching record for my ticket. I thought it had been an error in the booking and asked them to check it by name. I was nowhere in the system. Not just the airport, but anywhere. Security was about to detain me when I got the idea to use the psychic paper. Lucky for me it worked on that try. It told them I was some international cop working under jurisdiction of the local precinct." She scoffed. "I couldn't believe that actually worked."

"Not many people are able to use a psychic paper properly their first time, let alone successfully." The Doctor informed her.

"I'm not a normal person. Not in this case." The Doctor opened his mouth to ask what she meant but the girl continued her explanation over him. "After that I tried to call the office back in New York to let them know I was going to be a few extra days. I was going to make up some story about a system crash at the terminal but when I called in, the operator said the number was out of service. There was no number like it in existence. I checked online, there was no existence of the business either. I tried so many numbers but they were either the wrong person or didn't exist. Everyone was gone; my friends, my mom, my sister."

Sparrow took a deep, shaky breath as she remembered her old life, trying not to get upset at that moment. "That's when I moved in with Jess. I called her up, and it had only been maybe two days since we last spoke, but I gave her some bullshit story I would have given my boss and she believed me. That story eventually transformed into a permanent residence in London thanks to a 'job offer' at Henrick's." Sparrow waggled the psychic paper in the air as she referred to her former job. "Next thing I know, a year and a half later you show up and blow the place to bits."

Rose was speechless the entire time Sparrow was explaining but eventually mustered up the courage to ask her own question. "Do you know what happened? Not at the shop obviously, but to you."

Sparrow thought for a moment and chanced a look at the Doctor. He was staring intently at her, waiting for the girl's own thoughts. "I'm not sure at all, but I think it might have had something to do with the rift in Cardiff."

"How do you know about the rift?" the Doctor exclaimed.

"Hang on a sec, what's a rift?" Rose was confused by this new term.

"It's a weak spot in time and space. But what makes you think that's what caused it?"

"A rift is a place where objects, even people, can just slip through, willing or not. This obviously isn't where I'm supposed to be, it's got to be some sort of parallel universe, or dimension, or something. Who's to say that there wasn't a connection between my Cardiff and this one? I could have arrived in Cardiff and been sucked through here at any point. It explains a lot, makes the most sense, and it's not completely illogical, at least not in this universe. We didn't have any alien encounters back home, nothing in London either."

"That's not too surprising. Events vary from universe to universe. It's only two-thousand five though; you can't expect first contact to be so sudden." The Doctor tried to persuade Sparrow but she shook her head.

"I doubt that we were ever going to get any contact. From where I came from it wasn't two-thousand five, it was two-thousand fourteen."

Rose's mind was working to process and calculate the numbers thrown out and interjected her conclusion. "Wait, so wouldn't that make you thirty-one instead of twenty-two?"

"When I went on record in London I changed my birth date to work in accordance with my current age. I was still twenty-two in my universe, just born in ninety-two."

"Does that mean I'm older than you?"

"Don't, don't try to think about it Rose. You'll just end up hurting your head."

The Doctor decided to cut in on the two girls' chat and ask his own question. "Everything you've said has made sense up to this point, but there's still one more thing. Sometimes when you would speak, it's like you knew what was going to happen. How is that even possible?"

"And why did the fact that you saw the shop seem to shock you so much," Rose added, remembering Sparrow's words.

There was a jingling at the door and Sparrow sighed as she heard it open, slightly relieved as it gave her a few extra moments before explaining. Footsteps traveled through the threshold and across the wood floor, heels clattering as they went. The person passed the partition for the door and the lounge and stopped as they saw the crowd of people sitting.

"Sparrow, who are all these people?" Jessica had just come back from what Sparrow assumed was a late work shift. What had only actually been around twelve hours for her flatmate, had felt like days for Sparrow. She had to remember that it'd really only been the shorter amount of time and turned to inform Jessica who the guests were she had in their flat.

"Jess, this is Rose and the Doctor." She gestured a hand to each person as she spoke, forcing a cheery spirit to herself as she covered up her true feelings from telling her tale.

Jessica smiled at Rose, seeing the familiar face and then turned to the Doctor, a man she had never met before. "Hello, I'm Jessica." Her voice was sultry as she directed it towards the Doctor.

Sparrow shook her head in slight annoyance and turned to look at Rose, her eyes were pleading as she spoke. "Could you please take care of her?" Rose nodded wordlessly and stood from her chair to take Jessica somewhere else.

"Come on." She began to lead Jessica away from the main room and down the hall. "These two need to finish a conversation I think."

Sparrow didn't turn around but sighed silently and mouthed words of thanks to the blonde as she distracted her flatmate. She looked up to the Doctor, readying herself to tell him possibly the largest secret she knew. She stared at the man, watching as his features turned soft at her gaze. He knew whatever she was going to say was hard and something big so he tried to give her a little push.

"It can't be that bad." He placed a hand on top of hers and squeezed it reassuringly.

"All those creatures; Autons, Zygons, Silurians, Rutans, Sontarans, Cybermen, Daleks. Doctor you've fought them all, saved them, defeated them, and it's known far and wide from where I come from for one simple reason." She moved her hand from under the Doctor's and rested it on the side of his face, cupping his cheek. She felt the skin under her fingers, using that sensation to remind herself that he was real and asked one of the most complex questions of that man. "Doctor who?"

Her voice was soft and clear but the Doctor still couldn't comprehend what she was saying. "I don't understand." She pulled her hand back and reached for his own, placing that the object that still still held hidden in her hand, in his own. Sparrow didn't remove her hand though, cupping the object in their hands together and hiding it from the Doctor's view still. She took a deep breath and began to explained again, this time in a less complex way. "_Doctor Who_. In my universe it's the name of a show on television. Your life, your adventures, all set on display for countries to see, and it's all reality here."

"I don't believe you." The Doctor scoffed and tried to pull away from under the girl's hands, but he wasn't expecting her grip to be so firm.

Sparrow watched for moments as his mind try to process what he was told and she tried to convince him it was true. She removed her hands from around the Doctor's, leaving the once obscured object in his hand to be seen now. "Then look at what's in your hand." The Doctor did as he was told and look down at what she was referring to.

In his hand was a watch; blue leather straps, a metal frame, and a crack on the glass to the large clock face. On one of the straps, the words "Police Public Call Box" were embedded onto the fabric in white lettering. The Doctor looked at the watch in confusion, then at the girl. "You have a police box themed watch, so what?"

Sparrow only shook her head. "Take a closer look at the buckle."

He still didn't understand, but the Doctor still did as he was told and look back at the watch examining the metal buckle on the end of the strap. Two words were engraved onto the edge; "Time Lord." His mind began to stitch together what the small device in his hands was telling him.

"That, that can't be right. Why do you have this? _How _do you have this?"

She took the watch back from the Doctor and cradled it gently in her hand. "After I saw Rose in Henrick's, I had a bit of an anxiety attack. Took my watch off and threw it down the street. That's how I cracked the face." She ran her thumb over the crack and smiled. "This was nothing but a watch, a toy to most people, but I loved it. I just found it so ironic; a watch themed for a Time Lord."

"But it makes no sense," the Doctor nearly shouted as he stood from the sofa hastily.

"Then how can I know so much? What was and what is to be." Sparrow lowered the watch and rose as well, though more slowly than the man. She paused, trying to think of an example to prove herself true. "Do you remember that ring you wore during your first regeneration?" She held up her right hand and pointed to the ring finger. "You always wore that ring, until you regenerated that is. It didn't fit the second Doctor, you were so small then. So you tossed it aside like it was nothing more than a regular ornament. Ben and Polly didn't understand as they saw the new you, but not the first Doctor."

"That's just, that's impossible! No. Even if it were true, how could it be right about every event in my life so far?"

"I don't know. I don't suppose we'll ever find out either, but if it's been synced with everything you've done so far, there's a big chance that the same goes for things to happen."

The Doctor still refused to see the truth and tried to find some sort of loophole in Sparrow's reasoning. "So you're saying that you know the future," the Doctor scoffed disbelievingly. "I doubt any ape has that knowledge."

Sparrow frowned as she was put off by his 'ape' comment. "I'm not saying I know the future, but I know damn near close to what's going to happen at certain events." The Doctor still didn't look like he believed her and the girl folded her arms over her chest, staring at the man. "You'll want to take Rose to Naples in nineteen sixty next. She'd seen the future, so now you're going to show her the past. Only, you being the terrible driver that you are get it wrong and end up in Cardiff in nineteen sixty-nine."

The Doctor stared at Sparrow with an open smile on his face, unable to speak at her response again. _That's twice now I've made him speechless. I must be better at this than I thought. _She was glad that they were back to their already usual playful banter and smirked.

"And you too," was his eventual response.

"What?"

"I plan on taking you too."

"Really? Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you!"

Sparrow was ecstatic and ran into the Doctor to hug him thankfully. An ear splitting grin grew on the Doctor's face. "That's just fantastic, that is."

"I'm sorry, what's fantastic exactly?" She pulled away from the hug and looked at the Doctor.

"This." He motioned his hands towards Sparrow's whole body. "Everything. Oh, it's all brand new, something I've never experienced before and it's going to be just brilliant. You have to tell me something. One thing. Anything." Sparrow looked at him cautiously.

"I'm sorry, but I can't. Not your future," she denied shaking her head.

"What, why not?"

"It's against your rules."

"My rules? You wouldn't be saying that I meet you, or well, someone like you later on are you?" Sparrow's face fell as she tried to figure out how to explain to the Doctor without revealing his future. Suddenly, a thought came to mind, a person, and she smirked even larger.

"Spoilers," she crooned in a singsong voice.

* * *

Overwhelmed with her acceptance, Sparrow ventured back into her room to pack basic necessities. Once Rose was done being a distraction, the Doctor filled her in on the need to know and Jessica followed Sparrow into her room, wanting to know more about the man in their flat.

"I still don't understand what's going on."

"There's nothing to understand, I'm going traveling for a while. It'll probably be a year or so before I come back." Sparrow chuckled as she thought of the idea of traveling with the Doctor and Rose in the Tardis. "It all depends on the Doctor's driving." She smiled at her little inside joke.

"You're going with the Doctor, that man out there?"

"And Rose," she added.

"Look, I'm all for a quick fling, and I know you just lost your job and all, but do you even know this guy?" Jessica moved to sit on Sparrow's bed as the girl fluttered around the room.

She took a break from packing a pair of trousers into a small zipper bag and looked up at her flatmate. "I would trust this man with my life."

The girl on the bed laid back and laughed. "How long have you even known him?"

Sparrow paused and to the other girl in the room it probably looked like she was counting in her head, but really she was trying to figure out what to tell her. _Technically I've known him for, what, seven years? I know nearly everything about him and his life, but he's only really just met me. _"Well, it hasn't been half a year yet. B-but we have gotten to know each other very well." She added the last bit hoping that it would make not even half a year sound decent, and technically she didn't lie, it hadn't been half a year. She turned to walk out the bedroom door and her footsteps creaked down the hall as she went to the bathroom to retrieve her tooth brush.

When Sparrow returned, she tossed the brush and a small tube of paste into the bag, zipping it closed hastily.

"Does Andy know about him?"

"What do you mean?" Sparrow grabbed a pair of mid-length, tan boots and sat on the edge of her bed by Jessica's legs.

"Does Andy know you're messing around with this guy?"

Sparrow was taken aback by the question as she stared at Jessica like she was crazy. "What? I'm not messing around with anyone. I told you, we're just traveling. I think Rose is more his type any way." Her voice lowered as she thought of the relationship Rose and the Doctor would eventually have. It's not that she wasn't happy for Rose, but there isn't much room for a relationship while traveling with the Doctor if it's not with him, and Jack was _completely_ out of the question.

Jessica sat up slowly and rested on her forearms as she looked at the back of Sparrow. "So you really don't see it?"

"Know what? What's with you and all these questions all of a sudden?" Sparrow turned to face Jessica and stared at her intently, demanding an answer.

"I know you're my friend and all, but God you are thick."

"Oi!"

"Just wait, you'll see it yourself. The wandering looks, the quick glances, the lingering touches," Jessica leaned forward to whisper into Sparrow's ear. "The sudden closeness."

Her breath tingled Sparrow's skin as it ghosted over the side of her face and she quickly pulled away, jumping off the bed. "And you call me thick? You may be good with guys Jess but there's no way you'll be able to figure this one out." She turned to grab her bag and whispered to herself. "He's hardly human."

"Yeah? Well, I've had my fair share of guys and believe me, I know the signs." Jessica laughed as her flatmate rushed out of the bedroom. Sparrow could hear her calling after her as she exited the hall way. "I'll be waiting for when you come back saying I was right!"

"Come on, let's go," Sparrow ushered to Rose and the Doctor as she passed the lounge. They followed her without delay and all three descended down the stairs, Sparrow leading them in a hurry to get away from the flat. They made it to the bottom of the stairs and out the gate when Rose stopped her.

"Why so fast, Sparrow? what's wrong?"

"Nothing. Nothing's wrong. The opposite of wrong, everything's great! I'm just excited to get back out there now that I've been approved by the captain." Her voice hitched up an octave as she spoke and she dared to even glance at the Doctor. He was looking at her with a raised eyebrow at her suspicious actions and nothing at all how Jessica described. With this reassurance Sparrow relaxed some and spoke again. "Sorry, Jess sometimes gets inside my head. I just needed to get out, and what a better way than somewhere throughout time and space?"

Rose smiled at her friend, glad to see she was back to her normal self and hugged her. As she pulled away, her face became curious. "So, the Doctor told me that you know what's going to happen, and a bit out our past lives too."

Sparrow sighed as they began to walk at a slower pace back to the Tardis. She expected Rose would have some questions of her own. "Yeah. It's only simple past stuff though for everyone, except the Doctor really. I think I know a bit more than most. And don't think I'm going to tell you anything about you future either, the Doctor already tried it and there's some stuff that I'd like to try and prevent. That will be a whole lot more likely to happen if less people know about it."

"Alright, alright." Rose put her hands up in defense. "It was only a simple question." Sparrow laughed at her action. "Can you at least tell us _what _sort of things you're going to try to prevent?"

The Doctor turned to look at Sparrow, waiting for what she'd say and a frown crossed her face. "Deaths mostly. Clive told you about the Doctor's constant companion, yeah?"

"Hang on, who's Clive?" the Doctor cut it.

"He's this bloke who I talked to when I tried to find out more about you," Rose explained, then turned to face the man. "He said that it was Death."

"And now he's dead," Sparrow stated solemnly. The Doctor looked away from the girls and concentrated on a spot ahead of them.

Sparrow nodded. "Always has been and always will. Back on Station One, Jabe was supposed to die, probably many more too. The heat would have burned her alive if she went to help the Doctor but I managed to give the situation a few extra minutes. Exactly two, I think. That's also what made holding that lever so bearable." She flexed her hands as she remembered the pain that came with the action. "Under normal circumstances it probably would have burnt me out too, but by dragging the Doctor to Gallery Fifteen when you were trapped in there, it bought us a little extra time, and an extra life at the least."

The rest of the walk was quiet after that, though it was only a few more steps to the Tardis. Rose entered the box first and Sparrow would have gone next but the Doctor stopped her outside the doors. His face was stern, but also pleading as she looked at him.

"I have to ask one more question," the Doctor informed as he continued to block her way.

Sparrow groaned. "Doctor, I told you I can't tell you anything about your future."

"It's not that." He paused as thoughts drifted around in his mind. "Earlier you said that I was keeping secrets of my own. You said that you know about my past, all my regenerations. Does that mean that you truly do know that one? My greatest secret?"

Sparrow's face turned solemn as she understood what he was asking. She spoke with a low voice, almost afraid that if she answered any louder the illusion of kindness might break. "Yes. I know about the Time War. What you _think_ you did. The warrior you had to become."

She waited for the Doctor to say something, acknowledge her understanding, but he just stood there, still blocking her entrance into the TARDIS. "I can't say much for the future's sake but," She paused, taking a deep breath. "You may be the last of your kind now, and that has to be completely terrifying. I know this is all still new to you, but I want you to know it's okay; I understand what you're thinking in your head, why, and it will all be okay. That man was not the savior that everyone had known as the Doctor, but what he did, what he sacrificed, the memories he had to let go of, were necessary. Without him and your choices, everything would change."

Sparrow moved forward to wrap her arms around the Doctor's center consolingly. He went rigid at her touch, unsure of what to do, but the girl didn't pull away. She couldn't imagine how it must feel to have lost so much, not even realizing the truth, and continuing on, but he did. It was almost a relief to Sparrow as she felt his body relax and arms tighten around her back.

"It wasn't your fault. It will all be okay," she whispered into his neck and pulled away. Again she waited for the Doctor to respond, but he said nothing and she began to worry. "I'm sorry if I said too much. If maybe that was a bit much to recall for you. I wish it was something I could fix, I really do, but I promise, things get better. Just keep your head up and keep moving forward. You taught me that."

Finally, the Doctor smiled at these words, shaking the somber attitude from his expression. "Right then. Yes, thank you. Shall we?" He motioned inside the TARDIS and Sparrow began to relax more, actually grateful for the change of subject.

"Absolutely," she smiled, walking inside and the Doctor following after.

He passed her up the metal ramp and proceeded to the console where Rose was waiting for the both of them. Sparrow stayed back a bit as she leaned against the railing and gazed at Rose and the Doctor.

"You know, it's weird. You guys look exactly like the actors from the show too." Sparrow noted as she turned to Rose, figuring she would know more about celebrities from the twenty first century. "Have you ever heard of Billie Piper?"

Rose thought for a moment then answered, "No, don't think so."

"Christopher Eccleston, David Tennant, Matt Smith, John Hurt, Peter Capaldi?" She glanced at the Doctor as she rattled off the names. He was watching her interestingly but made no acknowledgement that he knew the names and Sparrow looked back to Rose.

"Nope."

"It isn't all that strange," the Doctor interrupted. "It's like an equivalent exchange; this world loses one person, but gains another. Like that Christian Eccleston guy, what a rubbish name."

"You just had to choose him as an example didn't you?" Sparrow laughed as she corrected the Doctor. "It's _Christopher_ Eccleston, and he's your actor." Rose joined in on the laughter.

"And this bloke looks exactly like him?" She flicked her arm towards him loosely. Sparrow nodded. "So not only do you know what's going to happen, but you also know what people are going to look like?" Her voice was incredulous.

"Yep." There was a certain smugness to Sparrow's tone as she slowly came to reason with what power she actually had.

"Yeah right."

"The rest of the money in my wallet says I can," Sparrow offered, betting the five quid she had left. "There's a girl named Gwyneth, played by Eve Myles. Dark brown hair, freckled skin, kind of like mine just a bit paler. She has greenish brown eyes, a strong Welsh accent, and a gap between her two front teeth." She barred her teeth and pointed to her own two front ones, though there was no gap.

Rose turned towards the Doctor for some advice but he made no reference whether she should take the bet or leave it. He simply stood at the console watching the two Earth girls interacting with each other. Rose turned back towards Sparrow and nodded.

"It's a deal." She held out a hand and Sparrow walked up the rest of the ramp to take, giving her hand a firm shake before dropping it. There was a smirk on her face as she pulled her hand away, feeling a little bad that she would just be taking the girl's money.

"Alright, if you two are ready," The Doctor clapped his hands together. "Rose, Sparrow, you've seen the future, let's have a look at the past. How does eighteen sixty sound?" He winked at Sparrow and turned back to the controls, throwing down a lever and sending the TARDIS into flight.

* * *

**Well, secret's out. Mushy, feely stuff happened, and things are somewhat normal again (at least normal for the Doctor Who Universe).**

**I think I should actually have the next chapter out in a day or two as well, hopefully before the end of Friday. Keep a look out. Hope you all enjoy Sparrow as much as I enjoy writing her.**


	5. The Unquiet Dead

**Now that the Doctor knows about Sparrow and what she is, will he really trust her? Let's find out.**

**thedayofthedoctor- I'm actually working on a drawing for her, so that means fan art to go with this fan fiction. But since I don't know when that will be done, just think Bryce Dallas Howard without bangs and a softer chin and jawline. Hopefully I can ge those pictures up soon.**

**Ali- Grow a few inches and dye your hair. Maybe the Doctor will come for you too. ;)**

******And now, in honour of today, the 50th anniversary, I present to you the next chapter.**

* * *

The Unquiet Dead

The TARDIS shook as it zoomed through the Time Vortex, traveling back in time, back into the eighteen hundreds. The Doctor was, as usual, rushing around one side of the TARDIS' console while Rose held down a control on the opposite side. Sparrow stood at the other side of the girl, waiting for her cue.

"Hold that one down!" the Doctor instructed, pointing to another control two arms lengths away from Rose.

The girl reached across the console as she tried to hold both controls down but she could hardly reach. Sparrow made a quick dash around the controls and held the button for the blonde so as she wouldn't have to stretch her body out, also to be of some sort of use in their adventure. The Doctor smiled at the two of them as each held down a control, assisting him in fly the TARDIS, even if it was only in a minimal way.

"So, what happened in eighteen sixty?" Rose asked as she tried to keep her balance when they hit a rough turbulence pocket.

"I don't know, let's find out." He raced to another panel and pulled a lever down as he passed it. "Hold on, here we go!"

The machine shook and landed with a thud, throwing all three passengers to the ground. They laid their briefly on the metal grating of the floor, laughing for no particular reason.

"Blimey!" Rose exclaimed sitting up.

"You're telling me. Are you alright?" He looked to Sparrow for a response.

Sparrow rubbed her head as she too began to rise. "Everything's fine except for your driving," she joked. The Doctor sneered at her remark but smiled at the fact that she was okay.

"How about you?" He turned to Rose.

"Yeah. I think so. Nothing broken. Did we make it? Where are we?" She looked at the doors expectantly as the Doctor examined the TARDIS' monitor.

"I did it. Give the man a medal. Earth, Naples, December twenty-fourth, eighteen sixty" Sparrow smiled at the coordinates and dashed out of the main control room, into the corridors of the TARDIS. She could hear the Doctor shouting after her as she left in a hurry but didn't care much for what he was saying. She wanted to get to the wardrobe and get a chance to find the outfit she would be running around in, excited for one of the rare chances she was sure they would be able to dress up.

She was eager to get to the TARDIS wardrobe, it was something she had always wanted to see before and now she was going to actually be able to browse the infinite collection that the old box had to offer. Sparrow didn't know how long it would take her to find a dress she liked; for all she knew it could take her seconds, or half an hour. Then there was the action of just getting ready. She didn't expect to make herself look as glamorous as Jessica might have done, but she was definitely expecting to be side tracked a lot as she browsed the selection the TARDIS had to offer.

She ventured down the corridors until finally, with what she assumed was the TARDIS' assistance, Sparrow found the wardrobe with enough ease. There were levels, upon stories, upon floors of clothes in the definitely bigger on the inside room. She didn't know where to start.

Racks of clothes hung on metal rails as the coral structures of the TARDIS grew up to the ceiling around them. A spiral staircase travelled all the way up the levels, through the platforms, providing access to all the trousers, dresses, shirts, hats, shoes, accessories, everything.

Sparrow perused the cloths, noticing ones from her present day and time, others from past eras, and a select few from years and cultures she hadn't known about yet. Finally, she came across a platform of cloths that looked around their current time and she began to thumb through the different racked dresses.

She sneered at some of them, being too big or too poufy, others too dull and boring, and some that just looked like her grandmother should be wearing. Time ticked on and Sparrow didn't think she was going to find anything that really suited her. Then something shifted in the corner of her eye and Sparrow turned to look.

There was nothing there as she approached the area she had already searched through, but did notice something different. She could have sworn that she looked at every single dress on that rack, yet there it was; a blue dress Sparrow thought perfect. She took the article of clothing off the metal rail and held it in front of her, examining every aspect. She especially loved the colour pattern.

It started out the deepest, bluest blue at the hem of the dress and slowly lightened as the color climbed up to the top, ending as a brilliant Earth sky blue. She ran her fingers over the collar of the dress where it was lined with a sparkling, light gold lace. The sleeves were long; they looked like they would fall just above Sparrow's elbows and the loose fabric would travel even farther down to her forearms.

Sparrow smirked as she realized what had happened. The TARDIS picked the dress for her, easing the process of finding an outfit for their day's adventure.

"Oh, you sexy thing," Sparrow purred as she clutched the dress to her chest with one hand and stroked a nearby column with the other. The TARDIS hummed in Sparrow's ear and she smiled. So far it seemed like things were going fantastic and she hoped it would stay that way.

She quickly swapped her jeans and tee for the blue dress, tossing her jacket to the side. The tan boots stayed as she quickly pinned her hair to one side and tied it in a quick braid, letting her hair fall smoothly over her right shoulder.

Satisfied with her looks, Sparrow gave the TARDIS one last pat and travelled out of the wardrobe, trying her best to find her way back to the console room. Unfortunately, the corridors seemed to twist and turn just as they did before the TARDIS decided to help her. Considering the thought, Sparrow began to wonder why she wasn't aiding her now.

Another turn around a corner and Sparrow ran into Rose almost head on, causing her to stumble to the side to avoid collision. "Oh, there you are, Sparrow. The Doctor was wondering where you ran off to." Rose smiled as she took in the girl's outfit. "I see you found the wardrobe."

Sparrow nodded. "I just couldn't pass up the chance to go through everything. I don't know if you've seen it yet, but that room has clothes for everything, of all styles. I absolutely love it," she clarified.

"Yeah, well, now it looks like you'll be the ones waiting on me." She paused as she looked around the corridors. "If I can find my way."

"Try that way." Sparrow jabbed a thumb behind her. "You can always ask the TARDIS to help you out if you get lost."

Rose glanced at a wall skeptically. "Right, okay."

Sparrow rolled her eyes. "Just trust me." Rose sighed as she gave in and began to head down the hall as the other shook her head. "Oh! The console room is this way, right?"

"Yeah, just down that hall a bit, a few turns, and you should be back there." Rose jutted her head towards the corridor she just came from. "Remember, you can always just ask the TARDIS for help," she laughed as she continued her venture towards the wardrobe room. Sparrow mocked Rose's laugh silently, imitating the action in an overly dramatic way as she walked down the path Rose had pointed her to.

Eventually Sparrow made her way back to the console room after backtracking a few paths. Despite Rose's directions, she still had trouble finding a way out of the many door lined corridors. She gladly entered the room, enthusiastically swinging her arms and humming a light tune as her heels clacked against the metal grating. She reached the main platform and stopped just before it, holding onto the railing surrounding it as she heard the buzz of the sonic screwdriver. Sparrow took a few more steps onto the platform, moving quietly so as to surprise the man.

The Doctor was working under the console as he had himself stooped in one of the exposed floor panels. He looked away from his work up as the blue from Sparrow's dress caught his eye and looked up at the girl. "Blimey!" Sparrow smirked as she saw the reaction on his face while he continued to make a fool of himself. "You look beautiful."

She couldn't help but smile larger as he floundered to mask his shock. "I knew you were going to say that," she remarked as she turned to the side and leaned her back against the console, resting on her forearms. The Doctor didn't look at the girl as he turned back to the console and worked with the sonic screwdriver again. He tried to hide his smile under the edge of the floor, but Sparrow could still see the big grin on his face.

The girl waited for what she expected would be his next response but he never said anything. She raised an eyebrow and looked at him. "What, no 'considering?'" Sparrow asked interestingly.

The Doctor looked up at her confused and she could tell that he obviously didn't understand. "It's something that you said to Rose. You know in the, uh," Sparrow twirled her hand in the air awkwardly as she tried to spit the word out.

"Show?" the Doctor asked as he finished her sentence.

"Yeah, that," she huffed, settling herself against the controls. The Doctor gave a curious side glance at the girl and observed her. She looked like she was pouting of all things and the Doctor couldn't help but pause in his examination of the TARDIS, turning to Sparrow.

"Would you prefer it if I added a condition to my opinion?"

"What? No, of course not!" Sparrow held her hands up in defense as she laughed awkwardly.

"You do look amazing though, truly." The Doctor's voice was soft as he spoke and she suspected that it must have been a genuine compliment.

"Well, you can thank the TARDIS for that." Sparrow turned to face the TARDIS' center and reached a hand out to the time rotor, resting it against the glass. Her gold Victoria style bracelet clinked against is before she pulled her hand back. "Old girl helped me with the dress."

"I especially like the color. It's a nice color blue," the Doctor remarked and Sparrow smiled at him with a large toothy grin. Then her brows stitched together as she noticed the top under his jacket.

"Did you even change?" Sparrow asked as she tried to look past the Doctor's jacket. pushed the side of the Doctor's leather jacket out of the way so she could see his shirt more clearly.

A bemused expression crossed the Doctor's face as he lifted himself from below the console. "I've changed my jumper," he stated defensively.

"I meant more than just your _jumper_._"_ Sparrow intentionally added an accent to her voice as she enunciated the last word and pinched the top of the Doctor's black top, pulling it off his chest. She let go of the fabric, letting it snap back into place and the Doctor rolled his eyes at her action. He moved away from the control console and walked towards the beginning of the ramp, leaning against the metal rails himself. Sparrow followed him, determined to poke some fun at the man.

"Seriously though, why don't you change?"

"I change, occasionally."

"Yeah, you can chastise Rose and I for our clothes, yet you're free to just go about only changing your jumper?"

"I never got the chance to chastise you. You ran off before I could say anything."

Sparrow rolled her eyes. "That's because I knew what you were going to say," she stated matter-of-factly. The Doctor narrowed his eyes on the girl and she stared back at him, a slight smile dancing on her lips. She couldn't hold back the larger smile that threatened to break loose and beamed at the Doctor, enjoying the bantering. He returned the smile right back at her, enjoying just as much as she was.

"I'm not interrupting am I?" Both of them turned to look at an approaching Rose and her new outfit.

Her dress was much darker compared to Sparrow's, but still just as beautiful. The deep maroon skirt trailed all the way down Rose's legs, still slightly covering the black, strapped pumps she wore. Her top accentuated her shape, just as Sparrow's did. It was black lace with red undertones and the sleeves fell off her shoulders, staying tight to her arms, only stopping after a few inches. A small cape was draped over her shoulders, crossing over the front of her chest and tying across her collarbone. Her hair was pulled back by a flowered headpiece that matched the color of her skirt, completing Rose's outfit for eighteen sixty.

"I don't want to get in the middle of your, whatever this is," Rose snickered as she approached the two of them.

The Doctor looked back to Sparrow, shocked and a little embarrassed. "What? No!" He shook his head as Rose's comment. "I'm not, I mean we're not-" The Doctor looked away from both of the girls as he tried to concentrate on something else that wasn't as questioning as the two of them.

Sparrow only looked at the man as he turned away. She felt slightly hurt at his words, not because she thought he had turned her down, but mostly because it hurt her confidence towards the Doctor. All that strength she had built up to be so loose, carefree, and even a tad flirtatious, and the Doctor had shot it down in a matter of seconds.

She tried not to let it get to her too much though and ruin what had started out at a great adventure. She took a deep breath, reasserting herself to her proper manner again. "Right, well, Rose, you look lovely." Sparrow forced a smile onto her face as she tried to set them back on track.

Rose twirled in her outfit to show it off and the Doctor glanced towards her, rejoining the group again. "I'll say. Absolutely wonderful."

Sparrow frowned slightly as she took another hit internally. She saw the Doctor shift next to her and then smiled at his next words.

"Considering." She looked up at him to smile, genuinely this time and he returned the gesture.

"Considering what?" Rose asked, a little off put as she looked at the two of them. Sparrow turned to console her as she noticed the agitation in her voice.

"Sorry, my fault. I sort of planted the idea in his head."

The blonde smiled at him and then looked at the Doctor's hardly changed outfit she was about to say something when Sparrow noticed her line of sight.

"He's only good enough to change his jumper," Sparrow remarked, rolling her eyes and a look of acknowledgment passed over Rose's face.

"Well, come on then. Eighteen sixty isn't going to wait for us." Rose passed the Doctor as Sparrow followed right behind her. Rose stopped the man before he could open the doors for the two girls. "You stay there. You've done this before. This is ours."

Rose took the first step out onto the snow covered ground. She moved cautiously at first as if she wasn't sure if it was even there, but the farther she stepped out, the more her reassurance seemed to grow. Sparrow followed out after her, taking her steps not nearly as slow, but still taking everything in.

There was a long pause as the two girls looked at every part of the town; the snow covered rooftops, authentic town lamps, wooden carts, beaten stands, and polished cartridges. The Doctor stayed silent too as he observed the girls' reactions, smiling at their awe as he stepped into the snow in between them.

"Ready for this?" the Doctor asked excitedly as he held an arm out to each girl. "Here we go. History."

He led them down the road into the open as, each smiled at the old city. As they walked farther into the crowded roads, the Doctor broke off from the two girls to purchase a newspaper.

Sparrow smiled as she twirled on the spot, her skirt flowing across the snow as she did so. "This is amazing!" she nearly shouted in a laugh. "Oh, and snow. I love snow! It'll be a long while before we see real snow like this again."

"Haven't you seen all this before though?" Rose asked, amused by the girl's response to their surroundings.

"Of course," She lifted the hem of her dress as she stepped back towards the other two. "But it's not the same as seeing it now. Right here, right now, with my own eyes. Before I was only viewing it through a screen, but this," She gestured a hand to the environment around them. "This is completely new, alive even."

The Doctor laughed heartily. "Alright we get it. You're excited to be here." Sparrow smiled breathlessly at his understanding.

He looked down to read the paper in his hands and they began walking again, Rose taking the Doctor's left side while Sparrow assumed a position at his right. They continued their walk down the snowy street while a choir sang carols not too far away.

The Doctor looked disappointed as he lowered the paper. "I got the flight a bit wrong," he admitted, but Rose only seemed to be half paying attention.

"I don't care."

"It's not eighteen sixty, it's eighteen sixty-nine," he continued and Rose as well continued to reiterate her statement.

"I don't care."

"And it's not Naples."

"I don't care."

"It's Cardiff," he finally stated with an embarrassed look on his face and Sparrow burst into laughter.

This managed to evoke a different reaction from Rose as she stopped and looked towards Sparrow

"Told you so," the redhead stated smugly and passed a wink to the Doctor.

He shook his head, now with nearly no doubts about what the girl knew as they continued their walk along the street. The three of them neared a large theater when screams filled the air, reaching their ears.

Each perked up at the noise, especially the Doctor. "That's more like it!" he shouted as he threw the newspaper to the side and they took off in a hurry towards the pleading shouts within the theatre.

* * *

Rose was kidnapped, and there was nothing left at the theatre to hold the Doctor and Sparrow's interests. With the addition of Charles Dickens, they managed to follow the captors' hearse that took Rose and the corpse and followed it to an old funeral home. He even seemed to take a liking to the pair of them, only after the Doctor complimented the majority of his work though.

They arrived at the large building, part stone and part wood and the three exited the coach to approach the door, the Doctor determined to get Rose back, Sparrow determined to make a change, and Charles Dickens determined to get answers. A dark haired servant girl opened the door to presumably greet the three as they smiled at her. The response they got however, was not the one they expected.

"I'm sorry, sir. We're closed," the girl announced in a thick Welsh accent. Despite the denial of entrance, the girl only made Sparrow smile wider.

"Nonsense. Since when did an Undertaker keep office hours? The dead don't die on schedule. I demand to see your master," Dickens tried to argue but the servant girl wouldn't have it.

"He's not in, sir." She tried to close the door on them, but Dickens forced it open.

"Don't lie to me, child! Summon him at once."

"I'm awfully sorry, Mister Dickens, but the master's indisposed."

The two bantered back and forth, one trying to gain access to the house, the other trying to keep the others out. As they argued, a gas lamp on a nearby wall flared ferociously catching both Sparrow and the Doctor's attention.

"Having trouble with your gas?"

"What the Shakespeare is going on?" Dickens exclaimed recognizing the effect on the lamp from the theater.

"You're not allowed inside, sir," Gwyneth tried to protest but the Doctor ignored her as he pushed his way through the door just enough to reach the lamp.

The Doctor examined the lamp for a moment before pressing the side of his head to the wall, listening attentively. "There's something inside the walls. The gas pipes. Something's living inside the gas," he clarified. Then there were muffled screams from down the hall.

"Let me out! Open the door!" The Doctor turned back to Sparrow and they met with knowing looks.

"Rose!" Sparrow declared and lifted her skirt as she ran past the servant girl and into the house.

"Please, please, let me out!"

The Doctor followed close behind her as they followed the noise of the girl's screams. She skidded down the hall, pressing herself against the wall as she passed Sneed so as to not fall straight into him. The same couldn't be said for the Doctor or Charles Dickens as they managed to pass the man with not stealth as she had, but more force.

There was shouting from the stout man as they raced throughout his house but Sparrow paid no attention to him. She was focused on the shouting coming from a door just ahead.

"Doctor, over here." Sparrow gestured to a plain wood door. There was nothing special about it except for the screams emanating from behind it.

"Let me out! Somebody open the door! Open the door!"

"Move away," the Doctor ordered as he pushed Sparrow to the side and she complied willingly. She moved to the right of the door as he kicked it in and pulled Rose out of the way of the animated corpses. "I think this is my dance."

"It's a prank. It must be. We're under some mesmeric influence." Dickens was reluctant to believe what he was seeing. Rose however was relieved as the Doctor passed her off into Sparrow's arms.

"Don't be ridiculous Charlie Boy. The dead are walking and you can clearly see it with your own eyes," Sparrow declared towards the man and then turned to Rose. "Hi. Welcome back."

"Hi. Who's your friend?" she asked, still slightly shaken from being kidnapped and attacked by corpses.

"Charles Dickens," Sparrow smiled at her.

"Okay."

With his companions safe, the Doctor was determined to get answers. "My name's the Doctor. Who are you, then? What do you want?" His voice was harsh as he spoke to the walking corpses.

The young male took a front as he spoke with multiple, child-like voices that didn't match its body. "Failing. Open the rift. We're dying. Trapped in this form. Cannot sustain. Help us." They both screeched as blue gas left their bodies and fell to the ground as limp corpses yet again. The gas returned to the lamps when the flames flickered briefly before stilling again.

Moments later they were all gathered in the living rooms of Sneed's house, being served tea from Gwyneth and listening to Rose go off on the man for kidnapping her. It was quite amusing to the bunch of them.

"First of all you drug me, then you kidnap me, and don't think I didn't feel your hands having a quick wander, you dirty old man," Rose rattled off in a breath.

"I won't be spoken to like this!" The small man began to turn red as he objected but the girl paid no attention to him. She only continued to shout at him.

"Then you stuck me in a room full of zombies! And if that ain't enough, you swan off and leave me to die! So come on, talk!"

"It's not my fault. It's this house. It always had a reputation. Haunted. But I never had much bother until a few months back, and then the stiffs," Sneed paused and corrected himself as he received disapproving looks from the others. "The, uh, dear departed started getting restless."

"Tommyrot," Dickens interjected. He didn't want to believe any of it despite what he actually saw.

"You witnessed it. Can't keep the beggars down, sir. They walk. And it's the queerest thing, but they hang on to scraps." Sneed continued on while Gwyneth handed out tea to all the guests.

Sparrow watched as she passed the Doctor his own cup. She didn't need to hear the girl as she informed him that his cup of tea included two sugars, just the way he liked it. Sparrow smiled as he looked after the girl with an interested look.

"Morbid fancy, Dickens continued, still not impressed by the presented logic.

"You saw it for yourself Charlie Boy," Sparrow pointed out in a near singsong voice. He was about to object again but Sparrow cut in. "And don't deny it, you're just being stubborn," she stated with a much harsher tone. That managed to get him to stop talking.

Satisfied with the response she got, Sparrow turned to Sneed to get an answer she knew was on the Doctor's mind. "And what about the gas? That's new isn't it?"

"Yes ma'am. Never seen anything like that."

"That means it's getting stronger. The rift's getting wider and something's sneaking through," the Doctor concluded based on what they've been told.

"Wait a minute," Rose cut in, recognizing the recently familiar word. "The rift. That's what Sparrow was talking about wasn't it?"

The Doctor nodded. "Weak points like this are usually what cause ghost stories most of the time."

"That's how I got the house so cheap. Stories going back generations." Sneed was momentarily interrupted as Dickens slammed the door on his way out, fed up with the ridiculousness of the situation. "Echoes in the dark, queer songs in the air, and this feeling like a shadow passing over your soul. Mind you, truth be told, it's been good for business. Just what people expect from a gloomy old trade like mine."

Everyone began to break away from the living room as most available questions were answered. The Doctor managed to duck off while Sneed finished talking to confront Dickens about his attitude towards the situation. Gwyneth had never stayed for long after she served everyone tea and retreated back to the pantry when the conversation about the stories began. Rose and Sparrow had managed to stay until the conversations were done, but after that they followed the servant girl into the pantry.

They walked into the small room as Gwyneth was lighting a gas lamp and Rose decided to try and help with the washing up as she started at the sink. Sparrow stayed by the door, just inside the room where the lamp was.

"Please, miss, you shouldn't be helping. It's not right," the dark haired girl immediately objected.

"Don't be daft." Rose interjected, though she passed the wash cloth off to Gwyneth when she motioned for it. "Sneed works you to death. How much do you get paid?"

"Eight pound a year, miss."

"How much?" Rose asked disbelievingly

"I know. I would've been happy with six."

"Rose stared at her incredulously. "So, did you go to school or what?"

"Of course I did. What do you think I am, an urchin? I went every Sunday, nice and proper." Sparrow giggled at the girl's use of the sea creature's name and she smiled at her.

"What, once a week?"

"We did sums and everything. To be honest, I hated every second."

"Didn't we all?" Sparrow agreed and the three laughed as they remembered their old schools.

"Don't tell anyone, but one week, I didn't go and ran on the heath all on my own." Gwyneth lowered her voice to a whisper and Sparrow couldn't help but chuckle at her innocence.

"I can't tell you how many times my friends and I did that together."

"Same here. I used to go down to the shops with my mate Shareen. We used to go and look at boys." Rose nodded in agreement.

What courage and rebellion the servant girl had brought up immediately faded away as she ducked her head and lowered her voice again to a softer pitch. "Well, I don't know much about that, miss." She turned back towards the dishes, determined to keep busy and away from anything that might be considered improper.

"Come on, times haven't changed that much. I bet you've done the same," Rose prodded but Gwyneth still wouldn't admit it.

"I don't think so, miss."

"You can tell us," Sparrow assured the girl. "It's just us girls in here. You've got your sights set on some man don't you?"

"I suppose," she admitted sheepishly, turning back around again. "There is one lad. The butcher's boy. He comes by every Tuesday. Such a lovely smile on him." Gwyneth smiled herself as she remembered the look on the boy.

"I bet he would like you too if you'd just asked him out." Sparrow nudged, hoping to give the girl a little confidence. "My friend used to say, you waste less time when you dive in head first."

Gwyneth merely looked at the two girls. "I swear it is the strangest thing, misses. You've got all the clothes and the breeding, but you both talk like some sort of wild things."

"Maybe we are." Rose winked in Sparrow's direction and the redhead raised a curious eyebrow at the action. "Maybe that's a good thing. You need a bit more in your life than Mister Sneed."

"Oh, now that's not fair. He's not so bad, old Sneed. He was very kind to me to take me in because I lost my mum and dad to the flu when I was twelve."

"Oh, I'm sorry," Rose said rather dejectedly, understanding the death of a parent. Sparrow could faintly identify with the loss they were experiencing, though it was still different in her case. Her family hadn't actually died, her parents were still alive. She was just trapped in an alternate universe with the Doctor, never being able to see them again for all she knew. Sparrow look at Rose as she wondered which one felt worse.

"Thank you, miss. But I'll be with them again, one day, sitting with them in paradise. I shall be so blessed. They're waiting for me. Maybe your dad's up there waiting for you too, miss."

"Maybe. Who told you he was dead?" Rose looked to Sparrow expecting that she might have told the girl, but she shook her head to deny any involvement.

"I don't know. Must have been the Doctor," Gwyneth offered, turning back to the dishes to preoccupy herself.

"My father died years back."

"But you've been thinking about him lately more than ever," Gwyneth stated as a fact rather than a question.

"I suppose so. How do you know all this?"

Gwyneth quickly looked away, realizing her mistake. "Mister Sneed says I think too much. I'm all alone down here. I bet both of you've got dozens of servants, haven't you, misses?"

"No Gwyneth, there are no servants from where we come from," Sparrow corrected.

"And you've come such a long way."

Sparrow nodded in agreement though Rose didn't understand. "What makes you think so?"

"The pair of you are from London. I've seen London in drawings, but never like that. All those people rushing about half naked, for shame. And the noise, and the metal boxes racing past, and the birds in the sky, no, they're metal as well." Gwyneth's eyes began to unfocus as she watched unseen images dance across her eyes. "Metal birds with people in them. People are flying. And you, you've flown so far. Further than anyone. The things you've seen. The darkness," The girl's eyes flicked to Sparrow as she spoke of the darkness and it frightened her, genuinely frightened her. She didn't know what it meant, but she knew it couldn't have been good, 'the darkness' was never a good thing.

Sparrow placed a hand on the nearby wall to steady herself as her legs turned to jelly and her senses dulled and she blocked out anything else being said to her. She didn't want to hear any more as the girl spoke, she tried to stop her mind from finishing the sentence but it was too late. She had already thought the words "Bad Wolf," and a whole new flurry of worry hit her. Her mind struggled to calm its body as she began to overreact and she slowly returned to her normal state.

"Are you alright, miss?" Gwyneth asked genuinely. Rose was looking at her as well and an expression of concern covered her face.

She swallowed thickly and then replied, her voice still a little shaken. "Yes. Just a bit of vertigo is all." She pushed off the wall, convinced she no longer need the support and smoothed her dress. "That's quite something you're able to do. Ever since you were a little girl, yeah?"

"But it's getting stronger, more powerful, is that right?" Sparrow jumped as the Doctor spoke behind her and she gasped at the forgotten appearance of the Time Lord. "Are you alright, Sparrow?" the Doctor asked offhandedly as his eyes moved over her in an examining way, just in time to see color returning to her cheeks, but she didn't say anything.

"She's been having dizzy spells," Rose answered for the girl. The Doctor raised an eyebrow at Rose's response and looked back to Sparrow, still trying to find any hint of illness.

"To answer your question, sir; all the time, yes. Every night, voices in my head."

He turned his attention from the "sick" redhead and faced Gwyneth. "You grew up on top of the rift. You're part of it. You're the key."

"I've tried to make sense of it, sir. Consulted with spiritualists, table rappers, all sorts."

"Well, that should help. You can show us what to do."

"What to do where, sir?" Gwyneth asked for her and the blonde next to her, both unsure of what he was referring to.

The Doctor smiled uncontrollably. "We're going to have a séance."

The whole of everyone had gathered in the living room where they had set up a round, clothed table for use. They were about to perform a séance and although there was no crystal ball, it still felt highly ridiculous.

They all began to gather around the table and take their seats. Gwyneth sat at the head of the table, the Doctor to her right, Dickens to her left, then Rose and Sneed as they began to seat themselves.

Sparrow was about to take her own chair between the Doctor and Sneed as a hand reached out to prevent her from sitting. The Doctor had stretched out across her abdomen and grabbed the chair, creating a block to her seat. "You don't have to do this you know, if you still aren't feeling well."

She pushed past the hand, letting it fall back to the Doctor's side and took her own seat. "I told you already, I'm fine. Just stop worrying," she stated, more agitated towards the man than she intended. Sparrow took a deep breath and pinched the bridge of her nose, trying again. "Sorry. I'm fine. Really." Her voice was much softer as she smiled lightly and genuinely at him. To her relief, The Doctor dropped the subject of the girl's health and argued no further with her.

Gwyneth spoke next in a polite but commanding voice as she held her palms up on the table. "This is how Madam Mortlock summons those from the Land of Mists, down in big town. Come, we must all join hands."

It only took seconds before Dickens made some objection. "I can't take part in this." He dejected getting up from between Gwyneth and Rose.

"Humbug?" the Doctor immediately accused. "Come on, open mind."

"This is precisely the sort of cheap mummery I strive to unmask. Séances, nothing but luminous tambourines and a squeeze box concealed between the knees. This girl knows nothing."

"Now, don't antagonise her. I love a happy medium," the Doctor joked with a grin.

"I can't believe you just said that," Rose stated with her own smile. Sparrow shook her head at the joke; she never found it to be in that good of taste. The others didn't seem to get the play on words, though they didn't question Rose's statement either.

"Come on, we might need you," the Doctor egged, turning back to Dickens. He eventually gave in and sat back down in his seat with a defeated sigh. "Good man. Now, Gwyneth, reach out," he directed towards the girl at the head of the table and she complied.

"Speak to us. Are you there? Spirits, come. Speak to us that we may relieve your burden."

Low whispers began to fill the air as they floated in from the gas.

"Can you hear that?" Rose looked above them for the source of the noise.

"Nothing can happen. This is sheer folly," Dickens tried to protest but Rose snapped back at him.

"Look at her."

Gwyneth's eyes darted all above them as she let the presence of the spirits touch her. "I see them. I feel them."

Large wisps of the same blue gas as before stretched above Gwyneth's head as the whispering increased, though still remained incoherent.

"What's it saying?" Rose asked, straining to make out the voices.

"They can't get through the rift," the Doctor declared and then turned to the servant girl to encourage her. "Gwyneth, it's not controlling you, you're controlling it. Now, look deep. Allow them through."

"I can't!" A pained look passed over Gwyneth's face as she struggled to make the connection.

"Yes, you can. Just believe it. I have faith in you, Gwyneth. Make the link."

"Yes." All contortion and concentration disappeared as three blue figures hailed over her and her face turned still and nearly limp.

"Great God! Spirits from the other side," Sneed exclaimed.

"The other side of the universe," the Doctor clarified.

The head figure spoke aloud, its voice innocent and childlike as it called out for help. They spoke through Gwyneth, using the girl as a relay to convey their message. "Pity us. Pity the Gelth. There is so little time. Help us."

"What do you want us to do?" the Doctor asked, concerned for the figures, but also with the same guard and caution he usually carried masked behind it.

"The rift. Take the girl to the rift. Make the bridge."

Sparrow sat in her chair uneasily as she let the scene play out. She decided that it would be best to let the Gelth speak and then take her stance, though she was finding it progressively harder to do so as the Gelth lied through their gaseous teeth.

"What for?" the Doctor asked, still willing to help.

"We are so very few. The last of our kind. We face extinction."

"Why, what happened?"

"Once we had a physical form like you, but then the war came."

"War? What war?" Dickens was confused by the mention of a war relating to these other worldly creatures.

"The Time War," the Gelth stated as if it were nothing. Sparrow turned to glance at the Doctor's reaction to the mention of the devastating war, but there was no response. His face stayed hardened and focused as he listened to the creatures' plea. "The whole universe convulsed. The Time War raged. Invisible to smaller species but devastating to higher forms. Our bodies wasted away. We're trapped in this gaseous state."

"So that's why you need the corpses," the Doctor finished for them.

"We want to stand tall, to feel the sunlight, to live again. We need a physical form, and your dead are abandoned. They're going to waste. Give them to us."

Sparrow had enough; she had tried her hardest to sustain her rash emotion but the anger and disgust proved too strong. She grimaced as the Gelth continued to lie and take advantage of the Doctor's pity. They didn't understand it, but because of the Time War, she knew that he nearly felt compelled to assist them. Sparrow however, did not feel this obligation and couldn't stand the false words that spilled from the blue figures.

As they spoke, she loosened her grip on the men on either side of her and began to slip her hands out of their grasp. The Doctor wouldn't let her though as she attempted to break the circle. He tightened his hand around the girl's own fingers and looked at her with a questioning stare. His gaze was met with the same grimace on Sparrow's face that she held for the Gelth, she didn't even try to hide it from the man.

He was about to question her attitude when Rose rejected the idea to Sparrow's relief. "But we can't."

The Doctor turned to face the blonde, completely forgetting about Sparrow's actions for the moment. "Why not?"

"It's not. I mean, it's not," the girl stuttered, at a loss for words for what she thought was right.

"Not decent? Not polite? It could save their lives," he snapped at Rose, clearly annoyed by the girl's ignorance.

"Open the rift. Let the Gelth through. We're dying. Help us. Pity the Gelth," The Gelth pleaded again before the connection faded and they were sucked back into the gas lamps.

Exhausted and used, Gwyneth collapsed on top of the table in a slump, unconscious but still breathing.

"Gwyneth?" Rose asked, concerned by the girl's sudden collapse as she rounded the table to make sure she was alright.

Dickens didn't seem to pay any attention to the girl at all as he tried to cope with his own conclusion. "All true."

"Are you okay?" There was still no response from the girl.

"It's all true."

They removed Gwyneth from the table and gently laid her on a chaise lounge to rest after her endearing connection to another part of the universe. She had regained consciousness but was still very weak from the exchange.

"It's all right. You just sleep," Rose prodded as the girl tried to get up.

"But my angels, miss. They came, didn't they? They need me?"

"They do need you, Gwyneth. You're their only chance of survival," the Doctor confirmed to Gwyneth's relief, but unfortunately to Rose's despise.

"I've told you, leave her alone," she commanded to the Time Lord. "She's exhausted and she's not fighting your battles." Rose's voice turn soothing as she momentarily swapped back to tending to the weak girl. "Drink this."

"Well, what did you say, Doctor? Explain it again. What are they?" Sneed still seemed to need clarification on what just happened.

Sparrow rolled her eyes; there was too much ignorance spreading around the room for her to deal with it patiently and kindly today.

"Aliens you clot," she spat at the older man, a sneer on her lips. The Doctor glared at her for being considerably rude though she didn't pay any attention to him. She had answered Sneed's question and already turned away, arms folded over her chest, hip cocked out, and annoyance sprawled over her face.

"Like foreigners, you mean?" Sneed asked more hesitantly this time.

"Pretty foreign, yeah. From up there," the Doctor answered before Sparrow could snap at him again and pointed towards the roof, motioning for the universe.

"Brecon?"

Sparrow groaned again at the ignorance, but she was ignored.

"Close. And they've been trying to get through from Brecon to Cardiff but the road's blocked. Only a few can get through and even then they're weak. They can only test drive the bodies for so long, then they have to revert to gas and hide in the pipes."

"Which is why they need the girl," Dickens concluded.

"They're not having her," Rode stated defensively.

"But she can help," the Doctor argued. "Living on the rift, she's become part of it. She can open it up, make a bridge and let them through."

"Incredible. Ghosts that are not ghosts but beings from another world, who can only exist in our realm by inhabiting cadavers." Dickens still didn't sound like he believed it himself, but still slightly more than before.

"Good system. It might work."

Rose turned to stare at the Doctor disbelievingly as she rose to confront him. "You can't let them run around inside of dead people," she protested, nearly shouting at him.

"Why not? It's like recycling."

"Seriously though, you can't."

"Seriously though, I can."

"Seriously though, I agree with Rose." Both the Doctor and Rose looked at Sparrow with confusion. Neither of them had expected her to speak up on the matter as she had been silent for so long, and they definitely didn't expect her to agree with Rose. They continued to stare at her, waiting for further elaboration from the girl.

"Believe me, I fully understand the morality of the situation, and it's a brilliant plan, it honestly is. Normally I would agree with the Doctor in this situation, but I just can't. Not this time. Not here, not now."

"But you just said it was a brilliant plan," the Doctor protested, confused by what the redhead was trying to say.

"Yes, but I also said that I know the implications that this could cause, all of them. Not just that we'd be 'saving' a species, but also plenty of other events unknown to you, but amazingly fresh to me." Sparrow tapped the side of her head as she attempted to describe the knowledge that she held, without actually explaining the outcome. She didn't think it would be best to describe how two of the six people in the room would possibly die.

"And it's just wrong too. Those bodies were living people. We should respect them even in death," Rose tried to add to support Sparrow's argument, though she didn't know that it only held little support.

"Do you carry a donor card?" the Doctor offered, trying to put the situation into perspective for her.

"That's different. That's-"

"It is different, yeah. It's a different morality. Get used to it or go home." His voice was harsh and stern as he chastised the girl, causing her to recoil at his words. "You heard what they said, time's short. I can't worry about a few corpses when the last of the Gelth could be dying."

"Doctor, you can't let them do this," Sparrow jumped in. Her voice was a lot steadier that Rose's had been.

"Don't I get a say, miss?" Gwyneth had pushed herself up into a sitting position on the chair, listening to their banter.

Sparrow turned to look at the girl. "Gwyneth, I know you want to help and that's amazing, but you can't." The girl's eyes darted all over Sparrow's face as she spoke, like she was looking into her thoughts, seeing what the other had seen.

"I need to help my angels. They were there for me and now I must try and help them." The girl's next line is what shocked Sparrow the most. "I know why your worry."

"What?"

"I've seen what you have and I understand. And I know that I have to do it."

"No. No you don't!" Sparrow nearly shouted. "You don't have to because it's not necessary."

"Miss, please." Gwyneth turned to the Doctor. "The angels need me. Doctor, what do I have to do?"

"You don't have to do anything," he reassured, no wanting to push the girl into doing something she didn't want.

"They've been singing to me since I was a child, sent by my mom on a holy mission. So tell me."

"We need to find the rift. This house is on a weak spot, so there must be a spot that's weaker than any other."

"Doctor, I'm warning you," Sparrow growled in a low voice as she turned to face the man.

"What? Do I have to fight you too?" the Doctor asked, brushing the girl's warning off as if it were no issue.

"Doctor, this is one of those things that you're just going to have to trust me on. You don't know what can happen, but I do and I refuse to let it. Not here, not if I can help it." She faced the man squarely as she pushed her shoulders back and raised her chin to show her authority.

The two met with daring and rough stares, the girl only a few inches shorter than him. Sparrow was determined to hold her ground, until there was a small twinge in the bottom of her stomach. The feeling surprised her, though she gave no show of it on her face, only allowing a small twitch to escape from the corner of her lip because of it.

The intensity in her stare softened as she unintentionally backed down. Sparrow didn't want to, but the distraction of the recent feeling in her gut diverted her mind as she tried to figure out what it was. Sparrow dropped her eyes and slowly lowered her stance while the Doctor stayed at his commanding height. The entire room had been watching their exchange and had just completely witnessed Sparrow's defeat.

"I thought so," the Doctor stated in a disappointed yet arrogant tone. Sparrow's head snapped back up as she was ready to defend her position, but the Doctor had moved on. He had already turned to Sneed, asking him a question. "Mister Sneed, what's the weakest part of this house? The place where most of the ghosts have been seen?"

"That would be the morgue."

"No chance you were going to say gazebo, is there?" Rose joked reluctantly as she sat next to Gwyneth in defeat as well.

It was decided, and there was nothing Sparrow could do. The Doctor wouldn't listen to her, and she had given up her chance to change things all because of some silly feeling in her stomach. To top it off, she still didn't even understand why she experienced that feeling during a tense battle of authority with the Doctor. She couldn't think of anything but one reason that might have been the cause, but she knew it couldn't be the reason. She didn't want to believe that she was falling for the Doctor.

The large group had arrived to the basement of the house known as the morgue. It was cold and bleary with tables, each holding a cadaver sleeping under their own white sheet. The stillness of the room was eerie and disturbing enough to send a shiver down anyone's spine, Time Lord's included.

The Doctor groaned "Talk about Bleak House."

Although, there was still one aspect that Rose didn't understand yet. "The thing is, Doctor, the Gelth don't succeed, because I know they don't. I know for a fact there weren't corpses walking around in eighteen sixty-nine.

"Time's in flux, changing every second. Your cozy little world can be rewritten like that." He snapped his fingers for emphasis. "Nothing is safe. Remember that. Nothing."

Sparrow would have been more than glad to explain that science of time travel to Rose, but she was still too frustrated with the display earlier. No one had listened to her and now she didn't even want to think about the result.

"Doctor, I think the room is getting colder," Dickens pointed out, and indeed it was. Breath could be seen with each exhale the longer they stayed in the room, only adding to the scary feel to the dim basement.

"Here they come." Rose motioned towards the flickering gas lamps on the wall and again the blue figure appeared, this time just under a stone archway built into an adjacent wall.

"You've come to help. Praise the Doctor. Praise him," the Gelth sang to the group.

"Promise you won't hurt her." Rose wanted to know that the girl volunteering her life would be safe from harm, but the creature ignored her, the question never being answered.

"Hurry! Please, so little time. Pity the Gelth."

Before the Doctor would let any action take place, he had to make his own conditions for the arrangement. "I'll take you somewhere else after the transfer. Somewhere you can build proper bodies. This isn't a permanent solution, all right?"

"My angels. I can help them live." Gwyneth, however, still seemed adamant on assisting.

"Okay, where's the weak point?"

"Here, beneath the arch," the blue figure directed, referring to the stone doorway around itself.

"Beneath the arch," the girl repeated and moved to stand inside the Gelth, blue gas encircling her entire body.

"Gwyneth, please," Sparrow begged in a soft voice before it was too late. "You don't need to do this."

Gwyneth let out a small breath of laughter. "I suppose there may be some things that even you can't see after all."

Before the girl could question and beg Gwyneth, the looming figure sent off its commands for her, nearly demanded it. "Establish the bridge. Reach out to the void. Let us through!"

Her eyes glazed over again as she looked at something that wasn't actually there, not to normal eyes. "Yes, I can see you. I can see you. Come!"

"Bridgehead establishing."

"Come to me. Come to this world, poor lost souls!" She cooed for her "lost souls."

"It is begun. The bridge is made." As the head figure continued to narrate, Gwyneth gasped as her body was strained and a similar blue gas began to pour out like a fog. It burst across the room, swirls of blue apparitions flying throughout the air. "She has given herself to the Gelth. The bridge is open. We descend."

The once blue and light figure transformed as the bridge was opened. It no longer resembled innocence but instead turned into a fiery red gas with pointed teeth and a malicious grin. It no longer spoke in soft, childlike tones, but now hardened and deep roars.

"The Gelth will come through in force."

"You said that you were few in number," Dickens shouted at the new apparition.

"A few billion. And all of us in need of corpses," it growled and on command, the dead rose from their deep sleep. They rose from their individual tables, the discarded white sheets falling to the floor, and approached the living slowly, desperate for form.

"Gwyneth, stop this. Listen to your master," Sneed commanded, hoping his authority over the girl would take some sort of hold. "This has gone far enough. Stop dabbling, child, and leave these things alone, I beg of you."

"Mister Sneed, get back!" Rose shouted, but it was too late.

A corpse already had a hold of the man and had broken his neck in seconds. The recently dead body was released and blue gas inhaled into his body before it could even fall limp.

"I think it's gone a little bit wrong," the Doctor admitted a little sheepishly. He looked to Sparrow, half expecting the girl to look as frightened as the rest of them, but she wasn't. She was infuriated and the Doctor's comment had only fueled her.

"You think!" she hissed at the man.

"I have joined the legions of the Gelth. Come, march with us," Sneed's body spoke, but it was not his voice. The Gelth were in control now as their sounds and calls reverbed off the walls.

"Forget it!" The girl scoffed, spite filling her voice as she reared her head towards the living dead.

"We need bodies. All of you, dead. The human race, dead."

"Gwyneth, stop them! Send them back now!" The Doctor tried to close the bridge through the girl but there was no getting through to Gwyneth. She was too far gone.

"Three more bodies. Convert them. Make them vessels for the Gelth."

The hoard of Gelth pressed on the living Rose, Doctor, and Sparrow as they were forced back against the metal entrance to an enclave. Dickens stood farther to the side, just far enough away that he could escape without much resistance.

"Doctor, I can't. I'm sorry. This new world of yours is too much for me. I'm so," Dickens dashed from the room as he left his sentence unfinished.

The Doctor turned and pushed the girls inside the cage first, following after them and slamming the door shut behind him. They stood safe out of reach as the Gelth attempted to grab them, but they still had nowhere else to go. They were trapped.

"Give yourself to glory. Sacrifice your lives for the Gelth," they chanted.

"I trusted you. I pitied you!" The Doctor had felt betrayed. He had trusted them, despite what Sparrow had warned, and now they were witnessing the result.

"We don't want your pity. We want this world and all its flesh."

"Not while I'm alive."

"Then live no more."

Rose's mind was racing with adrenaline and thoughts as she looked to the Doctor for answers. "But I can't die. Tell me I can't. I haven't even been born yet. It's impossible for me to die. Isn't it?"

"I'm sorry," the Doctor apologized sorrowfully.

"But it's eighteen sixty-nine. How can I die now?"

"Time isn't a straight line. It can twist into any shape." Sparrow smiled as she listened to the Doctor, he was so close to saying it that she couldn't help herself but to blurt it out for his future regeneration.

"It's like a big ball of wibbly-wobbly, timey-wimey stuff," Sparrow poked her head around the Doctor so Rose could see her clearly. The anger she held before had subsided as she smiled at the girl.

"You can be born in the twentieth century and die in the nineteenth and it's all my fault. I brought you here. I brought both of you." The Doctor turned to look at Sparrow with the same sad and apologetic look he gave Rose.

"It's not your fault. I wanted to come." Rose tried to reassure the man, but it only had little effect as a guilty smile tugged on his lips.

He turned again to face Sparrow. "Sparrow, I'm sorry. I should have listened to you at least. I didn't think that-"

He was cut off as the girl lifted a hand and pressed a finger to his lips, sealing them. "It's alright, Doctor. I forgive you. Just, next time, be sure not to omit my opinion so fast okay." She pulled her hand away from his mouth and the Doctor nodded in agreement, a true smile growing on his face this time.

"Well, we'll go down fighting either way, yeah?" Rose proposed.

"Yeah." The Doctor turned to smile at the other girl.

"Together?"

"Yeah." He reached out and grabbed each one of the girls' hands, grasping it in his own. "I'm so glad I met you, both of you." He turned to Sparrow to show her the same affection and sympathy.

"Me too," Rose agreed.

"While I do agree, and I am so grateful, I really am," She smiled up at the Doctor. "Don't think that this is it." Her smile twisted into a knowing smirk.

"What are you talking about? There's a handful of Gelth ready to tear us apart." Rose looked around the Doctor to give Sparrow a confused look, thinking she was crazy.

The girl only tapped the side of her head, referring to her knowledge again.

Seconds later, Dickens returned, running through the basement door. He held a small cloth over his mouth as he stormed towards the far wall and the lamp on it. "Doctor! Doctor! Turn off the flame, turn up the gas! Now, fill the room, all of it, now!" he commanded as he did as he instructed to the lamp on the wall.

"What're you doing?" the Doctor questioned.

Sparrow released the Doctor's hand and moved for the gas pipe on their wall in the conclave, tugging on the tube. "Do what he says! Fill the room with enough gas for the Gelth," she backed the man up.

"Brilliant. Gas." The Doctor smiled at the ingenuity of the idea.

"What, so we choke to death instead?" Rose, however, scoffed at the idea.

"Am I correct, Doctor? These creatures are gaseous."

"Fill the room with gas; it'll draw them out of the host. Suck them into the air like poison from a wound!" the Doctor answered for Dickens and Rose's clarification.

"Yes, yes. That's all well and nice. Now get over here and help me!" Sparrow shouted at the man as she struggled with the gas pipe in the wall. The man complied and spun on the spot and grabbed the pipe in place of Sparrow, moving her out of the way.

The dead altered their attention from the trapped trio in the gate and towards the open and defenseless man in the corner. "I hope, oh Lord, I hope that this theory will be validated soon, if not immediately.

"Plenty more!" A smile erupted as he ripped the gas pipe from the wall. The girls stumbled back as the gas burst from the wall and out into the open. It filled the air swiftly and the corpses shrieked in agony as the Gelth left their bodies as blue gas being sucked back into the lamps.

"It's working," Dickens exclaimed relieved and the once trapped emerged through the metal gate, back into the open.

The Doctor wasted no time as he approached the still suspended girl acting as the rift key. "Gwyneth, send them back. They lied. They're not angels."

"Liars?" It seemed like Gwyneth could barely comprehend what was being said to her. Her eyes were unfocused and the voice she spoke with was hoarse and strained. Her body still held limp like it did last time she connected with the Gelth through the rift.

"Look at me. If your mother and father could look down and see this, they'd tell you the same. They'd give you the strength. Now send them back!"

"I can't breathe," Rose choked behind the Doctor.

"Charles, get them out," he directed, directing to the door with haste.

"I'm not leaving her," the girl protested as Dickens tried to leave the girls out, tearing her arm from his grip.

"They're too strong," Gwyneth groaned in defeat.

"Remember that world you saw? Rose's world? All those people. Sparrow's thoughts, with all those adventures? None of it will exist unless you send them back through the rift." He tried to encourage the girl, but she was still too far gone.

"I can't send them back. But I can hold them. Hold them in this place, hold them here. Get out." Gwyneth ordered as she took a match box from her apron pocket.

Rose noticed and ran forward trying to stop the girl. "You can't!" But the Doctor held her back as he tried to convince her to run again.

"Leave this place!"

"Rose, get out. Go now and take Sparrow. I won't leave her while she's still in danger. Now go!" The Doctor instructed, nodding for Dickens to take the girls out of the house, out of danger.

Dickens did so, half forcing the girls to leave, half escorting them. Sparrow managed to slip out of Dickens' grasp and whispered to the girl next to her. "Rose, you have to go. I'll be there in a moment, just a moment. Please," Sparrow begged of her friend.

Rose could see the determination in her eyes and did not question it. She nodded and left the dark room, soon to leave the house. Sparrow stayed in the morgue, quiet as she slowly and cautiously stepped back to her place behind the Doctor. He did not hear her, nor did her see her as he tried to coax the trapped girl into compliance.

"Come on, leave give that to me," he gestured for the box in the girl's hand. She made no response, only moved her eyes to look upon the Doctor, then over his shoulder. He noticed the direction of her gaze, and made a quick glance to see what it was. Sparrow was not what he expected to see.

"What are you doing? I told you get out. Go! Leg it."

Sparrow stumbled back as she struggled internally to do as he said. Eventually, she forced her legs to move and obliged with the man, quickly making her way to the door as the house filled with gas. She didn't know why she had stayed as she exited the morgue; it just felt like something she should have done.

She ran throughout the house, trying to cover her mouth to block the gas from breathing it in. Her throat burned from the substance and breathing was becoming a task. A burning spread throughout Sparrow's body all the way down to her legs as she reached the long hallway to the house. Her steps slowed as she erupted into coughs and had no choice but to place a hand on the nearby wall for support.

Stumbling, Sparrow could see the front door, but it just seemed too far away. The corners of her vision began to blur and she began to fear if she would even make it to the halfway point of the hall. Another coughing fit caused Sparrow to throw her shoulder against the wall again to hold herself steady. Sparrow tried, but her breathing was becoming too labored to take in much oxygen and a burning numbness was beginning to swarm her body.

Then she felt a pressure on her back and shoulders as someone pushed her forward. She looked over her shoulder to see the Doctor there, a serious and determined face, pushing her closer to safety. Sparrow could feel her legs moving faster with the added support and had a newfound hope. Maybe she _would _make it. Perhaps she would live to see another day and her friends again.

Heat swarmed over her skin in a massive wave as they made their final push to the front door. The Doctor and Sparrow made it through, just past the threshold as the blast forced them to the ground in a strong push. Sparrow could feel herself on the ground, face first in the bitter snow, but it felt relieving after the burn of the gas. It was soothing and welcoming to Sparrow as she stopped struggling to find her way back to consciousness and let her body shut down.

Then there was only darkness.

* * *

Throbbing; that's all Sparrow could feel as she rolled her head on the ground. She didn't know when, but she must have been flipped onto her back as she couldn't felt the cold now against her front, or anywhere else. It was actually quite warm for that matter. It made it tempting to not get up but she knew she had to; the Doctor and Rose were waiting her to get up. They had to at least get back to the TARDIS before she could rest.

There was a light humming that Sparrow could hear, a familiar one that she had known for some time now, and an orange light shone through her eyelids as it danced on the other side. The environment was soothing but she knew she had to get up.

Sparrow rolled to her side and did not expect the restraint she was faced with. Something was holding her back, nothing strong but just enough that it annoyed her as she attempted to move. Frustrated, the girl rolled down onto her back and blinked as she forced her eyes open.

For the moment, all she could see was the orange light as her eyes focused. It didn't register what that orange light was until moments later.

"The TARDIS!" Sparrow had recognized her sights, not as the snow covered streets of eighteen sixty-nine, but as the inner roof of the TARDIS with its pale coloring and just the slightest hint of that pumpkin color it was themed with. She jolted upright only to be tugged back down to her lying position.

Now clearly aggravated with the lack of knowledge of her current state, Sparrow felt around for the containing restraints. What she found was not rope, or cuffs, or chains, or some kind of alien containment device. No, it was just a small, pliable, plastic tube strategically looped around her body and the through the support to the TARDIS' captain chair.

Sparrow followed the tube along her body as it ventured up to her face. At its end was an oxygen mask tethered around her head providing a steady flow of pure oxygen. Confusion clouded her mind as to why she would need the gas, other than the obvious fact of survival.

Then she remembered; the town gas at the funeral home. The house was filled with it by the time she even began running for the door. Her body must have taken some toll after the prolonged exposure.

Sparrow wiggled her body around and shimmied into a sitting position where she was able to unloop the tube from herself. She draped it over the back of the chair and stood up. There was something different about her movements she noticed. Her arms and legs seemed to be able to move with more ease than she normally could have with the dress she had on.

A thought crossed Sparrow's mind and she sighed audibly as her eyes slipped shut. She tilted her head down and slowly opened them again, only to see that she was not in fact wearing the blue dress the TARDIS had picked out for her, but the trousers she had packed in her bag, and a green jumper she could claim no ownership of. Sparrow looked curiously at the shirt, tilting her head to the side to examine it. She pinched the center of the green, V-neck shirt and lifted it off her torso, bringing it to her nose.

The smell was familiar, almost like an old cloth, clean with a crisp smell. It reminded Sparrow of family gatherings where they used to use a good linen cloth on the table for special occasions. She smiled somberly as she remembered her family and hoped they were okay. There were hints of other smells as well, too faint for Sparrow to make out, she could only identify them as rustic if anything.

Sparrow released the shirt, letting it snap back into place, too big for her frame. She glanced even farther down to the ground. "No shoes," Sparrow noticed as she looked around the console room. Her boots were lying discarded, next to the captain's seat, neatly placed side by side.

She smiled as she reached for the tan boots but was pulled away as a large whooshing noise caused the TARDIS to vibrate. She paused and looked at the TARDIS door, half expecting the Doctor to come running through at any moment, but the door didn't budge.

Instead, Sparrow took off running towards the door herself, barefoot in the TARDIS, her feet causing the metal grates to clang together with each step. She threw the door open and shoved her head outside, looking all around for the source of the noise.

There was no need to look far. A massive, metal ship stormed through the air, out of control as it headed for Big Ben. The ship collided into the clock face with accurate precision and continued to flail overhead as it descended towards the River Thames. Waves splashed meters wide, as the ship skidded across the surface and settled on the surface.

Sparrow shook her head. "It's always one thing after the other." She closed the TARDIS door and ran back up to the console where she threw her boots on without interruption this time. The zipper sealed up her calf and the girl did a quick circle around the TARDIS, looking for something to scratch a note on for the Doctor.

A compartment near the monitor opened with a hiss on the console and Sparrow moved to inspect the contents inside. A small notepad and a red pen; just what she needed. Sparrow couldn't say how grateful she was for the TARDIS' telepathic circuits.

"Thanks old girl." She smiled at the machine and scribbled a note for the Doctor.

_Doctor,_

_No one was around the TARDIS when I came to. I'm sure you're with Rose at the moment so I know you are both safe in her flat. _

_It's for the better if I'm not near Jackie any time soon. Too conflicting of personalities, especially now. _

_Instead, I'll be heading back to my own flat for the time being to check up on Jess. If I'm correct, there will probably be some things I need to sort out._

_Good luck with Jackie,_

_Sparrow_

She paused in her writing. The letter was finished, but Sparrow wasn't sure whether it would be smart or not to mark her name with a kiss.

There was a small internal battle as thoughts raced across her mind. _You're only a silly friend, what does it matter? River did that though, and she was more than just a silly friend. Yes, but the Doctor didn't know that yet. And see how it broke her heart? There's nothing between the Doctor and I to begin with. So what does it matter?_

Sparrow gave in with herself and placed a simple X next to her name, ripping the page from the booklet and setting it against the top of the console. There were times when Sparrow hated her thought process, it mostly aggravated her, but in the end it usually provided beneficial for her. The steps she went through, mostly logical versus irrational, tend to leave her with better choices, mostly.

Sparrow pushed the thought from her mind and ducked out of the TARDIS, breaking through the crowds of people gathering in masses at the first contact. She had no interest in it though; her main concern was getting home to let Jessica know that after a year she was okay.

* * *

**What, Sparrow gaining feelings for the Doctor. Mary Sue, I mean Sparrow, would never. :) **

**I did say it would be a romance sci-fi.**

**Thank you all!**


	6. The Aliens of London

**Well, I originally planned for this to come out Thanksgiving day to let you all know how thankful I was for your reviews, follows, and favorites. But it's coming out a day later. So... instead you'll get one today and another tomorrow (hopefully).**

**Again, thank you all for your interest in this story!**

* * *

The Aliens of London

It was after Sparrow had woken up, after the spaceship had all but destroyed Big Ben, and after the redhead made up her mind to do something else besides wait around in the TARDIS. Following London's chaos from the spaceship's aftermath, she ducked back into the TARDIS briefly to slip her shoes on and write a note to the Doctor before running back out again.

Sparrow had considered going to the Powell Estate but disregarded the idea at the thought of Jackie in her protective parent mode. There was a chance that with Jackie's attitude mixed with Sparrow's stubbornness, the Doctor might not be the only one to get slapped, and Sparrow didn't know who it would be either.

As she rounded the corner onto Cobbett Street, Sparrow began to think about what she would say as she spotted the edge of her building. If Jessica was home, that would make things a little easier, giving her extra time to think. If she was home, then Sparrow would have to come up with something, hoping that the girl believed her travelling story.

She walked down the street, wondering to herself how bad the consequences really would be if she told Jessica the truth. _Hi. I'm from a different universe, sucked through to this one by a rift in time and space. Oh, also I know the Doctor's future who, by the way, is an alien,_ Sparrow joked inside her head, but she knew deep down that she wouldn't actually tell the girl. The less people that know, the better.

Sparrow walked up the stairs in the pale building to the red door of her flat and took her keys out. Unlocking the door, she paused before opening actually opening it, thinking to herself one last time before things went crazy. She pushed herself through the red door, closing it audibly behind her.

Right in front of her, at the end of the hallway, Jessica was standing there holding a basket of freshly washed clothes. The basket fell to the ground in a muffled thud and Jessica ran over to hug her supposedly missing flatmate and friend.

Relief melted into sadness, then for a moment what Sparrow thought was fear. Her emotions escalated on until she finally subsided on criticism, going on and on about how she had been gone a whole year yet there she was walking back through their red door as if it had only been a few days. To Sparrow it had been though, but Jessica didn't know that.

"I still don't understand. Where did you go?" Jessica inquired as the two of them moved to sit on the sofa, ignoring the balled up clothes in the hamper while the reporter made his story on the recent alien events. Sparrow tried to avoid her question as she put her glasses on to watch the news broadcast on the television set. She was trying to turn their attention towards the story as a distraction but Jessica was hardly going to let it go this time.

"The police are urging the public not to panic. There's a helpline number on the screen right now if you're worried about friends or family," the news reporter Hitchinson stated as he keep his composure.

"How much you want to bet that reporter is actually totally freaking out on the inside. Look at how much he's fidgeting." Sparrow pointed out as she again tried to avoid another question.

"Sparrow!"

She sighed but didn't remove her gaze from the television screen. She wasn't actually watching it anymore but it was a better option than caving under Jessica's intense stare. "Traveling. I told you before I left remember? I said that I would be traveling with the Doctor and Rose."

Hitchinson continued, completely oblivious to the awkward conversation the girls on the sofa were having. "The army are sending divers into the wreck of the spaceship. No one knows what they're going to find."

"Yeah, I remember, but you've been gone an entire year. No letter, no postcards, no phone calls, nothing!"

Sparrow scoffed and finally looked at her friend. "I don't have a phone, remember? That's why we got that damn thing." She swung her arm over the sofa and pointed at the wall phone hanging by the hallway entrance.

"Rose had one. Why couldn't she call? Her mother has been worried sick about her. Jackie ended up coming over here eventually when she found out you were gone too. Went completely ballistic right in our kitchen!"

"Didn't you tell her what I told you, that the three of us were going travelling?"

"Of course I did, but she said that Rose left her passport at home and then it clicked for me. You said that you lost yours and that's why you weren't able to get back to New York. That's why you moved in here, so I'm not buying!"

"You didn't put up posters did you?" Sparrow groaned at the idea and Jessica snorted at her action.

"Not as much as Jackie but I did put a few up."

"They've found a body. It's unconfirmed, but I'm being told a body has been found in the wreckage. A body of non-terrestrial origins. It's being brought ashore." The reporter continued on and Sparrow tried to change the topic again.

"Wow. Did you hear that? They found a body." Her voice almost sounded pure and genuine as she spoke.

"Yeah I heard," Jessica stated nonchalantly, as if it had been a fish they found in the river. Sparrow stared at her, confused.

"Why don't you seem interested? It's the human race's first contact with aliens."

"I'm not convinced; it's probably a hoax or something. I mean, why wait this long?"

"Really? Honestly, that's what you think?"

"Yep." Jessica stared blandly at the TV screen as she popped the last letter. Sparrow stared at her in disbelief and finally looked away, shaking her head. Jessica noticed and was curious as to what was going through her head. "What?"

"Nothing," Sparrow chuckled.

"Seriously."

She began to full on laugh. "You just have no idea the irony there is in this situation."

Jessica stared at her flatmate, demanding more of an answer but Sparrow ignored her. She got up from the sofa and continued laughing as she walked down the hall out of sight. Merely seconds after she walked off, the door to their flat swung open and Andy charged in.

"Where is Sparrow?" Andy asked his sister, frantic at the good news.

Sparrow ducked her head out of the hall upon hearing his voice "Andy? How did you know I was back?" She looked towards Jessica in time to see the mobile phone clutched in her hand. The girl shook her head and proceeded to walk towards him, arms wide as she prepared to give him a hug but stopped when she saw the look on his face. He looked like he was seeing a ghost. "Andy?"

"You're alive," he turned towards his sister, his voice filled with excitement and sorrow. "You weren't kidding, she's really back."

Before Sparrow could move again, Andy scooped her off her feed and captured the surprised girl in the comforting bear hug she had been intending to give him.

"Andy! Put me down." The girl's words were masked with laughter as she tried to squirm out of his grasp so he took no offense to them. She had always liked it when he was playful and then was no exception.

He finally set her down and his face turned hard and serious as she corrected her glasses on her nose. "Where have you been all this time? I was worried sick. The police came and accused me of murder. Murder!" Andy's voice began to rise. "They did the same thing with Mickey. Jackie and Jessica have been all over town trying to find any lead as to where you and Rose went! Not to mention-" His voice cut off as he looked at Sparrow.

Sparrow knew that there was a chance that this would happen, even if she did try to create an alibi for them before they left. She couldn't bear to look at Andy mostly because she knew that she hurt him and she didn't want that for him. Andy saw the guilt she wore and felt bad for the girl immediately.

"Oh, Sparrow. My little Sparrow."

She looked up at him confused. She had never heard Andy use that tone before but she thought she recognized it as familiar.

Before Sparrow could classify it as anything, she felt the side of her face captured in his grasp and suddenly their lips were pulled together. Shock was the first thing to go through her, she didn't kiss back but didn't pull away either. _What is going on? What is he doing!_

All the other sounds around them seemed to sink away as the kiss progressed and Sparrow began to relax more. She ignored the sounds of the reporter on the TV and Jessica's snickers as she watched something that was long overdue. She blocked out a small buzzing noise in the back of her head, and muted a singular thud from her right. There was one thing however that Sparrow wasn't able to block out, no matter how hard she would have tried.

"Sparrow! There's something that you- Sparrow?"

Andy quickly pulled away and released the girl as he turned to look at the newcomer. Sparrow was still in a daze but fully aware of who burst through the door. She blinked as she tried to clear the hormones from her mind.

"Doctor?" she asked lazily. "What is it?"

She looked over to the man, slightly panting from running to check on the girl. There was a paper flyer crunched in his hand as he squeezed it tighter upon seeing the girl. Part of Sparrow wondered what picture they even used for her poster.

The Doctor immediately regretted his sudden entrance and wished he would just go back to the TARDIS and hide but he had to tell Sparrow. "Um, well. You see, my calculations were a bit off. We ended up a year later than I planned."

Sparrow sighed, beginning to regain some self-control. "Doctor, you don't think I've realized that. You don't think I didn't _know _that." He opened his mouth to speak but then closed it again looking at Jessica and Andy in the room. He didn't know if the two of them knew about his companion's knowledge, but aired on the safer side of not mentioning it.

"You mean that this is part of,"

"Yes."

"So you know about,"

"Yes." Her voice was becoming more aggravated the longer the Doctor talked. She just really wanted to get out of the flat as fast as she could. Sparrow watched as the Doctor took another look at the other two in the room, this time focusing more at Andy. _Is the Doctor glaring at him?_

"Who is this?" The Doctor flicked his sonic screwdriver towards the other man.

"This is Andy, Jess' brother," she informed through clenched teeth.

"And you were kissing him because?"

"Doctor!"

"Wait a second. You're the Doctor?" Andy cut in and turned his stare between Jessica and Sparrow. "_This_ is the doctor you two were talking about? He doesn't even look like a physician."

"Oi!" the Doctor shouted, clearly insulted.

"It's not the doctor, it's _the _Doctor apparently," Jessica corrected.

"Okay enough!" Sparrow had reached her breaking point and just wanted everything over with. "This is the Doctor; yes. He was the one that took Rose and I traveling; correct. He kidnapped us; no. This entire thing was just a big misunderstanding; yes! Now can we please just get past all this and move on! It's giving me a headache."

Sparrow moved to sit on the edge of the sofa and clutched her head in her hands. She moaned and the Doctor immediately snapped to her side to examine her. He placed a hand on the side of her head and stroked her forehead with his thumb. Sparrow considered the stroking action odd but assumed he must have just been checking to see that she was alright.

"It must be an after effect of the gas. Too much excitement if you ask me." His voice was harsh as he directed the end of his statement towards Andy.

"What gas?" Jessica was immediately concerned.

"It's nothing," Sparrow brushed it off and began to stand, but the others wouldn't give it up that easily, including the Doctor.

"No, you need to sit." He pushed her back down onto the edge of the sofa and pointed his screwdriver at her. It pulsed as he swept it over her body and Andy immediately became defensive.

"What the hell are you doing to her?" He swatted at the device and stood in front of the taller man aggressively.

"Andy," Sparrow groaned in a low voice.

"No! I'm not going to let this guy near you until I get some more information. Ever since the shop exploded a year ago and you told me about this _Doctor_," he spat the word like it was a curse. "You've been acting very strangely, almost hysterical. You run off without telling anyone, get injured, disappear for a whole damn year, then come back as if nothing was wrong! I think I deserve some answers, real ones."

The Doctor laughed at Andy's attempt to act tough and passed him off as harmless. "Oh, little Randy,"

"Andy," Sparrow and Andy corrected in unison. Andy's voice was more agitated, but Sparrow was seeing this whole situation as rather humorous and entertaining, though she didn't dare show it except for a small smile on her face. The Doctor noticed however and took it as encouragement, continuing his banter against the other man.

"If I even began to tell you, I don't think your mind would be able to handle it. You apes have such a hard time grasping the tiniest concepts as it is. I can't even begin to explain the time you discovered toast."

This smile on Sparrow's face fell as she realized that not only was the Doctor insulting Andy, but the entire human race, which included her. She was about to protest but Jessica finally stepped in for her.

"Alright, that's it. It's my turn in the ring." She pulled Andy out of the way and took his place in front of the Doctor. "I don't know who you are, I don't know where you came from, I don't know what you've been doing with Sparrow, and I sure as hell don't care. I do know one thing though, ever since Sparrow told me about you a year ago, I've never seen her happier. So if you do anything to make her unhappy," she turned on her brother now. "Either of you, I will personally make sure that neither one of you is happy again." Jessica elevated herself on her toes and poked the Doctor in his chest to emphasize her point. "Got that?"

The Doctor was shocked and actually looked a little scared of the tiny brunette. "Yes ma'am." Sparrow had to hold back snickers as she saw the Doctor's reaction and he glared at her. "Sparrow, mind if I talk to you for a second?" He saw Andy shift in the side of his vision. "Alone."

Sparrow nodded and hopped off the sofa, staring towards her room down the hall but Andy stopped her. He gave her a concerned look but she passed him her own look that assured him it was alright. "Come on. Room's this way." The Doctor quickly caught up to Sparrow and walked alongside her, not sparing a side glance at Andy. They made it to the first door on the left side of the hallway and she ushered the Doctor inside, closing it forcefully behind her.

She could hear muffled voices from the other side. "Wow, right to the room. I think it took you at least a month of visits before she brought you in there." Sparrow recognized Jessica's voice but wasn't too surprised her friend would make a comment like that. Just because she wasn't surprised though, it didn't mean that she wasn't embarrassed. She quickly turned away from the Doctor and busied herself with examining the items she had left on her dresser. She picked up a sealed letter and tried to act like she was reading it.

"That Randy is a pretty protective guy." The Doctor finally spoke, breaking the awkward silence.

"It's Andy, and yeah, he can be." Sparrow put the letter down and moved to her closet doors, browsing her clothing collection to change into a decent shirt that fit her. She could feel the Doctor move across the floor boards as he stood where she had, looking through the various objects she had just busied herself with.

"Although his sister seems more threatening than him." The Doctor smiled at his little joke.

Sparrow chuckled at that comment. "She's always been a mediator. That's why she's a good bartender I guess, always knows how to cut in on things." She twisted her head to the side to look at the Doctor. "At least she didn't slap you." A smirk curled on her lips as she watched the smile fall from his face and he brought a hand up to his left cheek, dropping the over read _Hamlet _play back to the dresser.

"Rose's mother slapped me! I still can't believe it."

"All of nine hundred years and you finally got slapped by someone's mother. Oh!" Sparrow was surprised by the turn her voice took.

The Doctor arched his eyebrows at her. "Did you just speak in an accent?"

The girl laughed. "Yeah, I guess I did. Just a little slip up I suppose. I'm not exactly doing it now, am I?"

"Oh, I think I can still hear it floating around in your voice." Sparrow smiled at his comment and the fact that she now had a tinge of a London accent in her voice. "So, I suppose you already know about the ship from earlier?" the Doctor asked, changing the subject to something more serious.

Sparrow nodded as she turned back to her closet, contemplating a simple pink, V-neck tee. "A spaceship crashed landed in London. Hit Big Ben and ended up in the Thames. They just recently found a body in the wreckage and brought it to a hospital to be examined." She smirked again. "And you were thinking of going to check it out. To you, the whole thing seemed _too _perfect, which it is."

The Doctor frowned. "Sometimes it's just not fair that you know so much of what's going to happen, everything I'm going to do."

"Not exactly. I just know you too well, that's all."

"Yet, I know hardly anything about you."

"All you have to do is ask," Sparrow pointed out in a singsong voice as she picked the pink tee from its hanger. The Doctor's eyes narrowed as he contemplated her offer.

"Anything?"

"If I feel like answering it, sure." Sparrow held the shirt against her chest, examining it in the mirror, looking over the rim of her glasses.

The Doctor took advantage of the moment and Sparrow's inclination of being a mystery to ask a personal question. "Do you miss your family?"

"Of course," Sparrow scoffed. "Greatly. But what can I do?"

"Did you have any siblings?"

Sparrow's face dropped as she remembered her sister. "Merry. She's my sister. She looks exactly like my mother; long brown hair, curled ringlets, freckles all over her face." She smiled again as she remembered her sister.

"How old was she?" the Doctor asked, intrigued to hear about Sparrow's family.

Sparrow snapped out of her nostalgia, remembering the shirt she had in her hands. "Only two years younger. Can you?" She motioned for the Doctor to turn around so she could change. "We're a lot alike, my sister and I, but also very different. We're both extremely competitive, unless we were having a lazy weekend."

Sparrow stripped the long sleeved jumper from her body when the Doctor turned, waiting for the next question.

"You said that my life was a show in your universe," the Doctor started, but Sparrow cautioned him.

"Careful now." Her voice was muffled as she spoke through the shirt over her head, pulling it on to replace to too big one she already discarded.

"How much did you watch it? You seem to know a lot about it, so it's something you must have enjoyed."

Sparrow's face turned red as she finally pulled her head through the top of the shirt. How was she supposed to tell him that she loved the show so much she once made it through an entire marathon of the new series in only a few days while she was in college? She had to think of something to say fast as the longer she didn't, the longer the question hung in the air, possibly leading to the Doctor believing that there was something more to it.

She swallowed thickly, smoothing down the shirt so it covered the rest of her body. "It's something I watched regularly."

"How regularly?" Sparrow couldn't see the Doctor's face, but could hear the interest in his voice.

"Enough. Look how about we move on to something else, yeah?" Her voice eased some after she spoke again. "You can look now."

The Doctor didn't even hesitate in his question as he rotated back on the bed to face the girl. He was watching her face carefully though as it smoothed back into its normal, less flustered expression. "How long was it?"

Sparrow exhaled as she thought for a moment, pacing the room. "Starting from your first regeneration in the sixties, it went all the way up to your seventh in the late eighties. That got you twenty-five, twenty-six seasons was it? Anyway, the show got cancelled, deemed to be on an 'indefinite hiatus,'" Sparrow hooked her fingers in the air for the pair of words. "But was revived in the mid-nineties as a film featuring the eighth Doctor. Then of course it was reintroduced again in two-thousand five starting, continuing on the legacy with you as the ninth Doctor." Sparrow leaned on the bed with one knee as she pointed to the Time Lord himself. "And it continues on for quite a while too. It was very popular."

"Really?" The Doctor smiled to himself as he considered the popularity of himself.

Sparrow rolled her eyes as she slapped the Doctor's arm. "Get a big head now and I'll have to tie you up in the TARDIS."

"I'd look forward to it." The Doctor winked at Sparrow and her cheeks turned red again. She was sure to note that there seemed to be a little too much seduction in his voice.

She removed her knee from the bed and spun around before the Doctor could see anything, biting her bottom lip. Deep down, she knew that she was enjoying it and considered playing along. _No! He's probably just playing with you. He saw Andy kissing you and got defensive over losing a companion is all; he just doesn't want you to leave._ Sparrow thought of those words. _But if he doesn't want me to leave, there must be a reason._

"Well?"

Sparrow snapped out of her own mind and turned to face the Doctor when she knew her face was composed.

"I'm sorry, what?"

"I said are you feeling better after you're rest in the TARDIS?"

"Yeah. Although, do you mind if I ask what happened? You know, after I passed out, again." Her voice was sullen as she thought of all the times she had already fallen unconscious since she's met the Doctor.

"Why not," he permitted with a shrug.

"Gwyneth, did she-"

"She was already dead when she stepped under the arch."

Sparrow nodded in understanding. "Did Charles seem in higher spirits when you left him?"

The Doctor smiled at the change in conversational tone. "Oh yeah, he was definitely a more lively man in the end."

"And am I alright? Was there any permanent damage done to me from the gas?"

"From what I could tell from the scan before your boyfriend knocked my hand away,"

"He's not my boyfriend," Sparrow corrected.

"There should be no lasting problems. You might get a little short of breath every now and then but that should last any longer than a day or two."

"Great," her voice was filled with sarcasm.

"That's what you get for being stubborn and staying when I told you to go," The Doctor chastised and she glared at him.

"Now on to a more pressing matter."

"More pressing than your health?"

"How did I get out of that dress and into those cloths?" She gestured to the shirt she threw on the desk.

"Ah, well you see, after I carried you onto the TARDIS-"

"You carried me, again? I should probably start paying you as a service."

"Although, this time I sort of had to carry you over my shoulder."

Sparrow groaned. "I'm sure Charles had a time seeing you carrying me like that into a small police box. Anyway, the dress?"

"Rose did it, no need to worry. She got your pants from the bag and I provided the shirt."

"What was wrong with my other shirt?"

"You mean that piece of cloth with straps?"

"Oh, act like my father another time." She frowned as she looked at the green shirt spread across her desk "So that's yours?" The Doctor nodded. "I see, and there's no CCTV on the TARDIS?"

The Doctor chuckled at her joking mood. "No, no such thing."

"Uh huh." She paused as she looked at the man. "Why are you here again?"

"Excuse me?"

"I thought you would have been on your way to see the alien body by now."

The Doctor knew what she was talking about now and suddenly turned a little awkward as he squirmed in his spot. "I was on my way but I realized you weren't in the TARDIS. I got a little worried about you is all. Wanted to make sure you were alright before I got into anything."

Sparrow moved to lie down next to the Doctor on her bed and looked up at the ceiling. "Makes sense I suppose." She turned her head to look at the man. "Thanks for checking up on me though."

"I have to look after my companions, don't I?"

Sparrow inhaled and sat back up, her hair disheveled from lying down. "Well, what are we waiting for then? Let's go."

"Go?"

"To the hospital to see the alien body. I mean, you did say you were on your way. So let's go!" She shot up from the bed and grabbed the Doctor's hand pulling him up as well. They switched places as the Doctor began to pull her now, running from the room, Sparrow just as eager as he was to leave.

As they exited the hallway, Sparrow saw that Andy and Jessica were in the kitchen talking amongst themselves and she had to pull her hardest on the Doctor to stop briefly, half out the door. She called back to her friends before leaving herself. "You guys should go to the Powell Estate. Rose is there and Jackie is having some sort of 'welcome home/alien crash landing' get together. I'll be back there later, once I go check something out with the Doctor!" Sparrow had to shout the last part so that she was sure Jessica and Andy heard her as the Doctor dragged her out of the flat. She could only imagine the look on their faces but didn't think about it much as she concentrated on descending the stairs quickly so as not to topple into the Doctor still grasping her hand tightly.

They reached the TARDIS and the Doctor punched in the coordinates for Albion Hospital. Sparrow watched from the opposite side of the console as he sent the machine into flight and struggled to control it. She especially began to enjoy it when he pulled out a mallet and used it to hit buttons on the console. However, her enjoyment seemed to crash as a wave of sparks showered over her head, nearly missing her face.

"Why couldn't you have learned how to fly her properly, Doctor!" Sparrow shouted over the grinding of the TARDIS' engines.

"I do know how to fly her properly," he responded as he also tried to concentrate on the controls.

"Let me rephrase that. Why in hell didn't you read the manual?"

"I did!"

"Until the point you disagreed with it so much you threw it in a supernova!" she corrected with a smirk.

The Doctor didn't respond after that until they landed, nearly knocking Sparrow onto the ground. They exited the TARDIS into a small storeroom, overly crowded with the two of them and the blue box taking up so much space. The Doctor managed to work around a metal shelf towards the door and worked on unlocking it with his sonic screwdriver. When he shushed it, Sparrow giggled and he had to turn to shush her as well. She complied and eventually The Doctor got the door to open only to have the two of them walk into a room filled with soldiers from the Parachute Regiment.

The Red Berets stared at each other briefly before raising their guns at the two intruders and Sparrow jumped slightly at their sudden action. "Oh. Hello then." She raised her hands and the Doctor rolled his eyes at her action, clearly not thinking the men with guns a threat.

There was a scream from down the hall and it got every one's attention, including the soldiers'.

The Doctor immediately jumped into action, commanding the men. "Defense plan delta! Come on. Move! Move!" He led the Marines out of the room with Sparrow following right behind him and the others behind her. They reached the mortuary and the Doctor and Sparrow entered, leaving the mass of soldiers outside.

The physician was cowering behind her desk, clearly frightened by what she saw. "It's alive!"

"Spread out. Tell the perimeter it's a lock down," the Doctor commanded to the nearest soldier but he hesitated.

"My god. It's still alive," she continued and Sparrow moved closer to comfort her, making sure she was okay.

"Do it!" Snapping to attention at the Doctor's command, the man finally complied and ran out to inform the others. Sparrow could hear the men shouting their codes outside but she was less concerned about that and more focused on the woman in front of her.

_Oh wow! It's really Toshiko Sato. That means Jack's Torchwood is here too. _Sparrow moved towards Toshiko to make sure she was okay. "How's your head? You have a cut." She tried fiercely to contain her excitement and stay focused on their current situation.

"I'm fine. I just, I swear it was dead," she responded with a shaky voice.

"Coma, shock, hibernation, anything. What does it look like?" The Doctor inquired. Before Toshiko could respond, there was a clattering noise from across the room. "It's still here." The Doctor gestured for a soldier to kneel by the physician and Sparrow as he went around the room.

There was another clatter and the Doctor fell to his hands and knees crawling along the floor so as not to scare the creature. Behind a counter at the far end of the room was a creature similar to a pig dressed in a space suit, cowering in fear.

"Hello," the Doctor smiled warmly at the creature, but it ran anyway.

The pig scurried away of its hiding place on its hind legs, squealing as it went. The Doctor quickly turned to the soldier in the room, holding his hand up to him. "Don't shoot!" The soldier complied and the Doctor quickly followed the pig as it ran out of the room, into the corridor.

Upon seeing the approaching "alien," one of the Red Berets in the hall panicked and shot at the creature without thinking before the Doctor would warn him.

The Doctor ran in after the gun shot and knelt by the pig's side as it took its last breaths. "What did you do that for? It was scared! It was scared."

The now dead creature was laying on an autopsy table with Toshiko, the Doctor, and Sparrow gathered around it.

"I just assumed that's what aliens look like, but you're saying it's an ordinary pig from Earth?" Toshiko wanted to clarify.

"I'm sorry. Real quick before we delve into this, you're Toshiko Sato, correct?" Sparrow cut in, wanting to get her chance of questions as well.

"Yes," she answered, a little uncertain of the girl.

"I see." An ear splitting grin grew on her face. "And I thought Doctor Owen Harper was to be conducting the autopsy."

Toshiko was speechless, although for all Sparrow knew, it still could have been from the alien's surprise rise back from the dead. The Doctor cut in on Sparrow's inquiries and answered Toshiko's original question, making sure to spare the redhead a quick glare.

"It's actually more like a mermaid. Victorian showmen used to draw the crowds by taking the skull of a cat, gluing it to a fish and calling it a mermaid. Now someone's taken a pig, opened up its brain, stuck bits on, then they've strapped it in that ship and made it dive bomb. It must've been terrified. They've taken this animal and turned it into a joke."

Sparrow stared at the creature with the Doctor, both of them with a sad and apologetic look on their face. However, before Sparrow could register anymore emotions for the pig, she felt the Doctor grab her hand and began to pull her towards the door. She looked up at the Doctor and was about to ask if they could stay a little longer but the Doctor placed two fingers over her mouth to quiet her. Sparrow's mind went slightly fuzzy as the Doctor touched her lips.

His fingers were calloused but pressed firmly against her lips. Her mind immediately went back to the kiss she had with Andy earlier that day, but something was different as she remembered it; there was a new smell in her memory. It was a rustic-like smell, filling her nose with the scent of sawdust and leather. It dazed Sparrow's mind as she drifted off and let the Doctor drag her along like a puppet. They worked their way through the corridors and into the TARDIS, Sparrow finally gaining enough consciousness back to hold on to the console for balance.

The TARDIS landed away from the hospital and before either the Doctor or Sparrow could exit the blue box, Rose, Mickey, and Jackie entered, the last two unbeknownst to the Doctor as he examined the monitor on the navigation panel.

"All right, so I lied. I went to check on Sparrow _and_ had a look. But the whole crash landing's a fake. I thought so. Just too perfect."

"Uh, Doctor," Sparrow tried interrupting bit he continued his rant.

"I mean, hitting Big Ben. Come on, so I thought let's go and have a look." The Doctor continued to explain to Rose, but she was able to cut over him easily.

"My mum's here," Rose stated flatly.

The Time Lord looked over his shoulder to see Jackie inside the TARDIS, as well as Mickey, then turned back to Rose. "Oh, that's just what I need. Don't you dare make this place domestic," he warned, pointing a finger at the girl.

"You ruined my life, Doctor. They thought she was dead. I was a murder suspect because of you." Mickey was determined to get his piece in, but like with Andy, the Doctor didn't take him very seriously as well.

The Doctor rolled his eyes as he turned back to the console. "You see what I mean? Domestic."

"I bet you don't even remember my name."

"Ricky."

"It's Mickey."

"No, it's Ricky."

"I think I know my own name."

"You think you know your own name? How stupid are you?"

"Oi! Both of you just stop it." Sparrow stepped between the Doctor and Mickey, wanting to make sure a fight didn't break out. "Rose, I'd chase after your mum. She's runnin' out of the TARDIS now." She gestured behind Rose, towards the open door, who hadn't even noticed her mom leave.

"Mum!" Rose shouted as she ran out of the TARDIS as well.

Sparrow turned back to the Doctor and hit him on his arm. "Why do you have to be so rude sometimes? And what is with you adding the letter 'r' to names?"

The Doctor smiled at her as Rose walked back in. "Would you like me as much if I wasn't?" He winked at her.

"That was a real spaceship," Rose interrupted as Sparrow busied herself with a particular control on the TARDIS to hide her blush.

"Yep," the Doctor confirmed.

"So it's all a pack of lies? What is it, then? Are they invading?"

"Funny way to invade, putting the world on red alert," Mickey added, showing his moment of cleverness.

"Good point! So, what're they up to?" The Doctor actually complimented Mickey's statement.

Not much time had passed and the Doctor immediately jumped into another plan of his. He dove under a floor panel to access the TARDIS console and began doing some rewiring. Rose stayed off to the side while Mickey was sure to stick right by her. Sparrow sat on her heels next to the Doctor's thighs as she watched what he did. She could have sworn that anytime she looked away towards Rose and Mickey or somewhere else, she would catch a glimpse of the Doctor stealing glances towards her. Every time she looked back though, he seemed hard focused on his work and it made Sparrow wonder if she was just seeing things.

Mickey sauntered over and stood in front of the Doctor's legs. "So, what're you doing down there?"

"Ricky," the Doctor slurred around the sonic screwdriver still in his mouth so it was hard to comprehend. Sparrow reached over and removed it from his mouth wiping the device against her jeans to remove the saliva. He smiled at her gratefully in thanks.

"Mickey."

"Ricky. If I was to tell you what I was doing to the controls of my frankly magnificent time ship, would you even begin to understand?"

"I suppose not," Mickey agreed.

"Well, shut it, then." Sparrow nudged the Doctor in the side of his leg for being rude again as Mickey slinked away, most likely from embarrassment.

The rest of the while the Doctor was working under the console, Sparrow assisted him by offering the sonic whenever he needed it. Although, during the moments when he didn't require it, she would twirl the device in her hands, examining the magnificent tool. A few times she'd play with it by pointing the sonic screwdriver at certain objects like she were using it, though she never actually activated it. The Doctor scolded her for doing so but an amused grin would dance on his lips when he thought Sparrow wasn't looking, though most time she could see it clearly.

"Got it!" the Doctor shouted and added a light chuckle as she shot up from the floor. His action was so sporadic that he caused Sparrow to fall backwards off her heels and onto the floor. He circled around the console. "Patched in the radar, looped it back twelve hours so we can follow the flight of that spaceship." He reached the monitor and adjusted it for his purpose. When he finished he held a hand out to Sparrow and pulled the fallen girl off the ground, then turned back to the screen. "Here we go. Hold on. Come on."

The Doctor smacked the side of the screen and the image cleared up so that everyone could see a radar image of the Earth from outer space. "That's the spaceship on its way to Earth, see? Except," he paused waiting for the cue of the ship's second ascension. "Hold on. See? The spaceship did a sling shot round the Earth before it landed."

"What does that mean?" Rose asked as she looked up from the screen.

"That means the ship came from Earth to start with. It went up and then landed again. Well, if you can call that landing," Sparrow answered for the Doctor.

"Exactly. Which means, whoever those aliens are,"

"They haven't just arrived," she answered again.

"The question is,"

"What have they been doing?"

Again Sparrow finished the Doctor's question and he looked at her in frustration. She was giving all the correct information, but stealing the spotlight from him. He watched as she smirked at him, completely aware of what she was doing. He ignored it for the time being and moved off to the side while Mickey and Rose took up a position by the monitor flipping through any channels they could get reception on.

"How many channels do you get?" Mickey asked as he continued to channel-hop. Sparrow ignored them as she circled the TARDIS control panel and observed each button, control, switch, and miscellaneous object thoroughly.

"All the basic packages," the Doctor answered, half paying attention.

"You get sports channels?"

"Yes, I get the football." The Doctor spared a glance at the screen and noticed something. "Hold on, I know that lot." He stared at the screen intently and watched the soldiers march across the screen. "UNIT. Unified Nations Intelligence Taskforce. Good people."

"How do you know them?" Rose seemed quite interested, although with the Doctor it's hard not to be.

"'Cause he's worked for them. Oh yeah, don't think I sat on my backside for twelve months, Doctor. I read up on you. You look deep enough on the Internet or in the history books, and there's his name, followed by a list of the dead." Mickey rattled on and Sparrow mimicked him by moving her hand like a mouth that wouldn't stop talking.

"That's nice. Good boy, Ricky." The Doctor snickered as he watched he girl.

"If you know them, why don't you go and help?" Rose brought up a valid point, only because she didn't know.

"It's been years, Rose." Sparrow looked up from what she assumed was an early design of Eleven's zig-zap plotter. "He's changed a bit since the last time they saw him and probably wouldn't recognize his daft old face." She smirked as she moved to stand with the others.

The Doctor sneered at Sparrow's physical description of his face and finished her conclusion. "Besides, the world's on a knife-edge. There's aliens out there and fake aliens. We want to keep this alien out of the mix. I'm going undercover. And, uh, I'd better keep the TARDIS out of sight. Ricky, you've got a car. You can do some driving."

"Where to?"

"The roads are clearing. Let's go and have a look at that spaceship." The Doctor moved towards the TARDIS' doors and the rest followed. He opened them walked onto the street again, the other three following right behind him.

As soon as the Doctor stepped out, a spotlight lit up the four of them and the face of the TARDIS. The police called out over a mega phone at the group. "Do not move! Step away from the box and raise your hands above your heads."

Sparrow barely registered when Mickey ran away and Jackie called out to her daughter. She could have sworn that she heard her own name being called from far away, but couldn't see anyone. The light was so bright she had to cover her eyes to avoid going blind and the roar of the helicopters was too much on her ears. Sparrow knew from previous viewings of that particular episode that Mickey would have been cowering behind some bins by now and the armed forces would be holding Jackie back.

"Raise your hands above your head. You are under arrest." As her senses adjusted, Sparrow was able to move her hands from shielding her eyes to above her head like they demanded and got a chance to look around. They were completely surrounded. She glanced at the Doctor and saw the largest grin on his face. Sparrow knew what he was about to say and a smirk as big as the Doctor's grew on her lips.

"Take me to your leader," they chimed in unison. The Doctor looked at her, not at all surprised that she knew his line.

The police ushered the three of them into the back of one police car; Sparrow first, next the Doctor, then Rose. The three of them in one car made a tight squeeze but none of them were about to complain.

"This is a bit posh minus the lack of space. If I knew it was going to be like this, being arrested, I would have done it years ago," Rose stated, clearly amused by the whole situation.

"We're not being arrested, we're being escorted." The Doctor was just as ecstatic as her.

"I just wish they'd given us a bigger ride," Sparrow added, not nearly as amused as the other two. "Hang on, let me just,"

Sparrow tried to readjust herself so that she wasn't half sitting in the door. She place one hand on the edge of her seat and the other on the Doctor's leg, pushing herself off what little space she had.

"Oi! Watch it," the Doctor warned as she pressed against him. .

"What?" Sparrow looked down at where her hand was and faltered when she realized how far up his thigh she had placed her hand. The sudden slip of her hand mixed with an unfortunately timed pothole caused Sparrow to tumble down from her raised position and back onto the door with a loud thud. "Ow!" she yelped when her tail bone ended up on the door's handle.

"So, where are we going?" Rose was trying to make the ride more pleasant as Sparrow grumbled.

"Where'd you think? Downing Street," the Doctor answered with a light snicker at Sparrow's actions.

The rest of the ride was filled with unbelievable responses from Rose, explanations from the Doctor, and slurred responses from Sparrow.

As they arrived at Ten Downing Street, the three piled out of the car, Rose and Sparrow tried to avoid the flash photography being taken while the Doctor all but posed for them. Rose and Sparrow nearly had to drag him to get out of the crowd and into the building.

When they made it inside, the room was packed with official people, police, and UNIT soldiers. All three of them, including the Doctor looked around the lavish room in awe.

"Ladies and gentlemen, can we convene? Quick as we can, please. It's this way on the right, and can I remind you ID cards are to be worn at all times." The junior secretary was herding all the alien experts into one room, making sure they were wearing their IDs.

The Doctor, Rose, and Sparrow walked up to Indra and he handed the Doctor his ID. "Here's your ID card. I'm sorry; your companions don't have clearance."

"I don't go anywhere without them," the Doctor informed him.

"You're the code nine, not the girls." Sparrow was about to sneer at his attitude but then remembered the young man's fate. She hoped she would be able to fix that. "I'm sorry, Doctor. It is the Doctor, isn't it? They'll have to stay outside."

Before Rose, the Doctor, or Indra could object anymore, Sparrow moved from behind the two of them and grabbed Rose's elbow, beginning to pull her away. "Come on Rose. It's obvious we aren't wanted here."

"No. Sparrow, wait." The Doctor grabbed onto the girl's arm causing her to pause and in turn, causing Rose to as well.

"Look, even I don't have clearance to go- Wait, did you say Sparrow? Alison Sparrow?" Indra asked, seeing the girl better since she stepped more into his view.

"Yes?" Sparrow asked more than answered as she turned back to the secretary.

He fumbled with the remaining ID in his hand, reading it over and then handing it to her. She briefly read over the card herself that stated she was an alien expert and allowed her access into the briefing room.

"You two are allowed in, but she'll have to stay." The secretary motioned towards Rose.

"It's all right. You go," Rose offered before anyone else could object.

Harriet Jones pardoned herself and inched towards the four standing by the door. "Excuse me. Are you the Doctor?"

"Sure," he answered, not entirely committing to his title.

"Not now. We're busy. Can't you go home?" Indra seemed to have been highly annoyed with Harriet at that point.

"I just need a word in private," Harriet all but begged but Indra wouldn't allow it.

"I suppose so." The Doctor turned to Rose as he and Sparrow began walking into the briefing room. "Don't get in any trouble."

As they walked, the Doctor leaned towards Sparrow took another look at her ID card. It was just like his except for the identifying information. "How odd," Sparrow noted. "Why would I get one?"

The Doctor looked at Sparrow and she could tell that a reason had already formed in his mind; she just hadn't gotten it yet. "That's time travel, Sparrow. Things never make sense. I thought you of all people would have known that," he stated as he scanned over the files prepared for them and the experts. When he was finished reading, the Doctor was about to clip on his ID when Sparrow put her hand on his to stop him from doing so.

She shook her head as she leaned in to whisper in his ear so that none of the hostile aliens would hear her. "The IDs are charged with electricity. If we don't get them off everybody else too, they'll all die," she informed him very gravely as she casually dropped hers on the floor.

The Doctor understood and lowered his identification card, leaving it on a table in the back as General Asquith opened for the meeting, Joseph Green by his side.

"Now, ladies and gentlemen, if I could have your attention, please. As you can see from the summaries in front of you, the ship had one porcine occupant."

"Of course, the really interesting bit happened three days ago," the Doctor spoke up before anyone else could say a thing. "See, filed away under _Any Other Business_. The North Sea; a satellite detected a signal, a little blip of radiation, at one hundred fathoms, like there's something down there. You were just about to investigate and the next thing you know, this happens. Spaceships, pigs, massive diversion. From what?" He casually strolled the room as he spoke, like he was providing a mere explanation. It almost reminded Sparrow of Sherlock Holmes.

"If aliens fake an alien crash and an alien pilot, what do they get? Us." The Doctor paused as realization hit him, though he didn't let it show any more than a slight falter in his speech. "They get us. It's not a diversion, it's a trap." Neither Greennor Asquith looked at all pleased by the Doctor's awareness. "This is all about us. Alien experts. The only people with knowledge how to fight them gathered together in one room."

Green let out a fart and his face transferred back to a stoic mask. The Doctor looked up at him slightly annoyed by the repulsive action. "Excuse me, do you mind not farting while I'm saving the world?"

"Would you rather silent but deadly?" Sparrow was sure she would have rolled her eyes at the horrid pun if they all weren't in terrible danger,

General Asquith removed his cap and unzipped his forehead as Green began to laugh. The room filled with an ominous blue light emitting from Asquith's skin suit as the Slitheen tried to wriggle out of the small casing. The green monster was around eight feet tall with slimy looking skin and three long fingers that he flexed in relief from being free again. Their beady black eyes stared around the room at everyone and it made Sparrow's skin crawl when they finally laid upon her. The small, baby faces they were embedded in didn't make the sight any more pleasant.

"We are the Slitheen," Asquith stated triumphantly though they hadn't actually won yet and Sparrow knew why.

"Thank you all for wearing your ID cards. They'll help to identify the bodies." Green, still in his human skin, began to chuckle again as he held up a remote activation switch.

Blue streams of electricity flowed from all the ID badges and began to fry their occupants. The Doctor and Sparrow looked around in horror at the alien experts writing in pain. Sparrow wanted to help them but wasn't able to physically do anything, her body was frozen in fear. She could hear the Doctor shouting something at her but for once his voice wasn't strong enough to penetrate her mind and she screwed her eyes shut trying to make it all go away. She didn't want it, she didn't want to be in that room, she didn't want to be an alien expert, and she didn't want to face the Slitheen. She just wanted to be gone.

* * *

**Hm? Sparrow is an alien expert, what could cause this? Thoughts anyone? We'll find out eventually.**

**Updates coming out soon!**


	7. World War Three

**Opps! This was supposed to come out a week ago but it kinda took longer than I thought it would. Damn you holiday weekend.**

**So anyway, rather than promising when the next chapter comes out, I'll just say it should be out soon, like very soon.**

**Who wants to find out what happened to Sparrow? Read on!**

**P.S. Thank you for all your reviews and kind words. It's nice to see all the follows and favorites in my email too. It really does mean a lot!**

**Now, on with the show!**

* * *

World War Three

Sparrow had never experienced claustrophobia before but she always assumed it was something like a great force pressing down on her body. She always thought that it would prevent someone from moving and taking in any senses. There would be no escape from it or any avoiding that unbearable pressure; it would keep forcing itself around her until she wanted to scream. Worst of all, Sparrow felt like she was experiencing all of that right then, in the midst of danger from hostile aliens bent on destroying the Earth.

Her mind was refusing to let anything through since she saw the electricity spring from the ID cards meant for the alien specialist. After that she just closed her eyes shut tight and blocked out any noise she possibly could, including the Doctor's shouts and pleas. Sparrow didn't want to have to shut him out, but it wasn't something that she was able to control.

Something grasped both sides of Sparrow's arms and she finally began to snap out of her state, nearly attacking who was on her arms. At first she started squirming in their grasp and then escalated to shaking them off by thrashing. Then suddenly she felt something warm wrap around her body and mind. She felt as if she had no control over herself as she felt every part of her become limp. Any normal person probably would have been worried for their safety but there was also something reassuring about that feeling that made her embrace it.

It was only seconds later when Sparrow felt closer to her normal self and was able to function more properly. She could still feel hands on her arms but didn't struggle against the hold this time.

_Where am I? Think,_ she commanded herself. _Come on, remember!_ Her mind struggled to as she ran through recent events. _I was with the Doctor._ "Silly girl, of course you're with the Doctor." _And we were arrested._ "Well, not exactly arrested." _We sat in the police car and we were all jammed together. I remember sitting next to the Doctor_. "Sitting on top is more like it." _I remember being so close to him, the flurry of emotion it caused in the pit of my stomach and heat across my body_. "Wait,what?" _Then we were at Downing Street_. "Sparrow." _UNIT was there and all the alien experts. _"Sparrow." _The ID cards._ Sparrow could feel her heart rate wanting to climb back up again but something prevented it from actually doing so. _But what happened with them_? "Sparrow!"

Her eyes snapped open as she remembered where she was.

"Sparrow, finally," the Doctor sighed. "We're lucky that your legs still worked."

Sparrow looked around at what seemed like a small decorated box. "Where are we?"

"The lift. Are you feeling okay?"

Her eyes flashed over each of her body parts. She didn't look injured, she didn't feel in pain. So why was the Doctor asking her? "No?" She stated it more as a question, confused by his inquiry.

"What exactly happened to you?" The Doctor's voice shifted to one with more annoyance. "You almost got killed because you didn't do anything."

"What are you talking about?"

"When the Slitheen emitted the electricity from the ID cards you sort of froze."

An image flashed in Sparrow's mind as the Doctor explained. She saw a spark of blue light as it tore throughout a conference room, strands extending across all parts. It made a twinge in her chest as she watched the blue light dance in her head. She had to calm herself before her heart rate could climb again.

"Electricity?"

"Charges of it, like you said would happen. You nearly collapsed from nothing."

She shook her head, confused by what he was saying. "I knew it would happen? I don't, what are you talking about? How could I know that would happen?"

"Oh, boy," the Doctor groaned, but Sparrow still couldn't understand what he was referring to.

"Doctor, just tell me what's going on!"

Before the Doctor could answer, the lift doors opened to the first floor to reveal an unsuited Slitheen in front of the lift. On the other side of the Slitheen, down the hall, Rose and Harriet Jones, MP for Flydale North were struggling furiously to open a door.

Sparrow stared at the creature in horror. She had never seen anything like it so terrifying and hideous as its black beady eyes stared at the two of them. The Doctor was less concerned as he waved at the Slitheen playfully, distracting it so the two humans had extra time to get away.

The Slitheen roared, but the Doctor continued to smile as he pulled out his sonic screwdriver, pointing it at the lift controls, forcing the doors closed. They began to move up again and Sparrow began with her questions again.

"What the hell was that?" she nearly shouted in exasperation at seeing the green alien.

"Slitheen," the Doctor stated as he crossed his hands over his chest impatiently as the lift moved up to the next story. Then he turned to look at Sparrow; it reminded her of the first time she met the Doctor in the basement elevator of Henrick's. "You really don't remember?"

"Remember what?"

He shook his head. "I'll explain later. Do you have a fear of electricity?"

"Not that I know of."

"None that you can remember?"

She shook her head this time, still not sure what he was talking about.

The lift dinged as the doors opened and they arrived on the second floor this time. The Doctor grabbed Sparrow's hand, dragging her out as they ran down the corridor and towards a staircase where they descended back down to the first floor.

Down another corridor and around another turn, they reached the lift but stopped when it arrived on their floor and two unmasked Slitheen exited. They darted back into the room they just walked from and the Doctor pulled Sparrow into a small corner. He wedged the two of them behind the door and in between a column as he pulled the girl against his body to hide the both of them.

Sparrow tried not to focus on the monstrous aliens that stalked past them and instead closed her eyes, concentrating on the Doctor behind her. They waited for the aliens to pass for enough to them to make their dash and she focused solely on the distinct double beat of the Doctor's two hearts.

_One. Two. Three. Four._

The steady rhythm was relaxing as she felt the pulsing against her back.

_One. Two. Three. Four._

There were flashes in her head again as colorful images of men dressed oddly raced through her mind. An older suit jacket, a recorder, a multicolored scarf than ran miles long, decorative celery.

_One. Two. Three. Four._

A polished cat pin, a question mark sweater, a patterned cravat and pocket watch.

_One. Two. Three. Four._

A warrior's baldric, leather jackets, tight suits, and a bow tie.

_One. Two. Three. Four._

_Who are these people_, Sparrow thought to herself the longer she concentrated. Then the Doctor's hands grabbed her shoulders again as he pulled them out of their hiding spot.

The Slitheen had passed into the room Rose and Harriet Jones ran into to hide. "What now?" Sparrow whispered to the Doctor, still wary of the dangerous aliens. He looked around and spotted a fire extinguisher held on the wall.

The Doctor grabbed the extinguisher and motioned for Sparrow to follow closely. "Come on. Stay behind me."

They followed the two Slitheen's path down the corridor and burst into a sitting room. Rose and Harriet Jones cornered by the three aliens. The Doctor sprayed one of the male Slitheen with carbon dioxide from the extinguisher, causing it to shriek.

"Out, with me!" the Doctor called to the two girls. He gestured to Harriet Jones as she stepped up beside him. "Who the hell are you?"

"Harriet Jones, MP for Flydale North." The older woman informed hastily.

"Nice to meet you."

"Likewise."

Sparrow reached her hand out for Rose to grab as the pulled the girl away from the Slitheen and the two ran out of the room with Harriet, the Doctor spraying the Slitheen one last time causing it to flinch. He dumped the extinguisher and followed after the three girls ahead of them, making his way to the front.

"We need to head to the Cabinet Room," he announced as they rushed down the corridors of Ten Downing Street.

"The Emergency Protocols are in there," Harriet pointed out. "They give instructions for aliens."

"Harriet Jones, I like you." The Doctor smiled warmly at her.

"And I like you too."

As the Slitheen chased the four of them into the Cabinet Room, the Doctor snatched a decanter from a side table. He spun around and stood just behind the doorway. "One more move and my sonic device will triplicate the flammability of this alcohol. Whoof, we all go up. So back off." He growled, holding his sonic screwdriver up to the bottle menacingly as the Slitheen took a step back. His voice softened when he spoke again. "Right then, question time. Who exactly are the Slitheen?"

Harriet pointed out the obvious from behind the Doctor's right. "They're aliens."

"Yes. I got that, thanks."

"Who are you, if not human?" the Slitheen who was impersonating Green demanded.

"Who's not human?" Harriet asked.

"He's not human." Rose was the one to clarify from behind the Doctor's left.

"He's not human?"

"Can I have a bit of hush?" the accused man asked, annoyed by the constant chatter behind him.

"Sorry," Harriet apologized sheepishly.

"So, what's the plan?"

The older woman interrupted again. "But he's got a Northern accent."

"Lots of planets have a north," Rose answered, stealing the Doctor's line from when they first met. Sparrow smiled, though she couldn't exactly figure out why.

"I said hush. Come on." the Doctor all but shouted and jerked the bottle of alcohol closer to his sonic. "You've got a spaceship hidden in the North Sea. It's transmitting a signal. You've murdered your way to the top of government. What for, invasion?"

"Why would we invade this God-forsaken rock?" the alien Asquith sneered.

"Then something's brought the Slitheen race here. What is it?"

"The Slitheen race?"

"Slitheen is not our species. Slitheen is our surname," Green clarified. "Jocrassa Fel Fotch Pasameer-Day-Slitheen at your service."

"So, you're family." The Doctor was beginning to get it now.

"A family business."

"Then you're out to make a profit. How can you do that on a God-forsaken rock?"

Finally, at least one of the Slitheen called the Doctor's bluff and Asquith questioned his threat. "Uh, excuse me? Your device will do what? Triplicate the flammability?"

"Is that what I said?" Sparrow rolled her eyes at how transparent the Doctor was.

"You're making it up."

Ah, well. Nice try." The Doctor passed the decanter over his right shoulder. "Harriet, have a drink. I think you're gonna need it."

With the Emergency Protocols clutched in her arms Harriet corrected him. "You pass it to the left first."

"Sorry." He moved the bottle from over his right shoulder to his left.

"Thanks." Rose took the bottle

"Now we can end this hunt with a slaughter." Asquith narrated.

"Don't you think we should run?" Rose suggested as the aliens began to approach them menacingly again, but the Doctor made no move to intend that they would do so.

"Fascinating history, Downing Street. Two thousand years ago, this was marsh land. Seventeen thirty it was occupied by a Mister Chicken. He was a nice man."

"Doctor." Sparrow tried to stop his rant before they were attacked.

"Seventeen ninety-six, this was the Cabinet Room. If the Cabinet's in session and in danger, these are about the four most safest walls in the whole of Great Britain. End of lesson."

The Doctor lifted a small panel by the door and pressed the button underneath it. Metal shutters crashed into place across the windows and doors with an echo. Metal slammed in front of the Doctor, separating him and the others from the Slitheen as they were trapped safely in the cabinet room for the moment.

"Installed in nineteen ninety-one. Three inches of steel lining every single wall. They'll never get in," the Doctor informed the three girls.

"Except we can't get out," Sparrow pointed out.

The Doctor smiled dejectedly as he realized there options. "Ah."

* * *

Time passed and the group of them really had nothing else to do as they were trapped in the metal lined room. Harriet and the Doctor worked on putting the skin suits in the room's storage closet including the body of the dead secretary. Rose leaned against the large wood table on the middle of the room while Sparrow sat in a chair by Rose with her feet propped up on the table. She had her eyes closed as she concentrated on her thoughts.

Ever since the incident in the briefing room, it was like there was a gap or block in Sparrow's mind. She couldn't figure it out, but it seemed like there were portions of her memory missing, portions that she couldn't access. Her eyes slipped closed as she concentrated harder. She knew there was something that she should be aware of, but she just couldn't recall it and it was frustrating her.

"Sparrow." She snapped her eyes open when she heard her name called.

"Hm, what is it?"

"You should know his name, shouldn't you?" Rose asked, nudging Sparrow's legs.

Sparrow looked at the body the Doctor had set in the closet with the former Prime Minister and cringed. "I don't know. He was the secretary that gave us our badges, right?"

"Yeah, but you said that you've seen all this before. Like it was part of one of your shows," Rose asked, confused that Sparrow didn't know. Everyone other one of their adventures the girl had barely forgotten a single detail, now it was like she couldn't remember a thing

Sparrow's brows furrowed as she dropped her legs to the floor and spun the chair to face the Doctor, glaring at him. "Why does it feel like something's missing from my mind like there's something I should be conscious of but I'm not?" Sparrow groaned as she tried to explain. "It's like I don't even have the words to describe what's wrong."

"Ah. Yes well, you see that's a bit of a story. One that is better suited for the Tardis. My fault all the same."

Sparrow continued to glare at him before huffing in frustration and turning back around in her chair. She was determined to scour her brain for the missing puzzle piece to her memories. Since she had begun to search for solutions to the missing and confusing information as pieces of phrases began floated to the front of her mind.

It felt like her system was working overtime, like a computer left running for too long. Specks of words were beginning to break through the wall she could feel blocking her mind. The feeling it caused was similar to the tip-of-the-tongue effect; the words were there but she couldn't quite grasp them.

_Slitheen. I remember that one, the Doctor said it. __R-Rox. No, Raxac. Gan-Gani. _Sparrow's mind was filling with a new comprehension that she was having trouble with. She was jumping from idea to idea in her head so fast as she tried to keep up and remember it all. _Margaret; that's familiar. Raxacorico, Raxacoricofallapatorius. How in hell am I able to figure that one out? Inder, Inda, Indra!_

"Indra!" Sparrow felt a little embarrassed from her sudden outburst. "Th-The secretary's name was Indra."

"At least someone knew his name," Harriet added solemnly then turned back to Rose's phone.

"What's going on here?" Sparrow asked as she got up and walked towards the group crowded around the phone and leaned it towards her.

"Mickey sent me a picture of a Slitheen in his flat gettin' zapped," Rose captioned the picture.

"Well, call him!" Sparrow ordered.

Rose quickly punched his number into her phone and called, he picked up nearly immediately. Mickey tried to run on and on about a proper alien in his living room but she kept cutting him off.

"Are they alright, though?" Rose lowered the phone briefly and tuned to Sparrow. "Jessica and Andy are there." She moved the phone back to her mouth and continued with Mickey. "Don't put her on, just tell me."

The Doctor took the phone from Rose's ear and began commanding Mickey. "Is that Ricky? Don't talk, just shut up and go to your computer." "Mickey the Idiot, I might just choke before I finish this sentence, but, uh, I need you."

Sparrow snickered as she listened to the desperate plea from the Doctor. She knew that he didn't really like Mickey but she also had to remember that they were all in terrible danger.

The Doctor plugged the mobile phone into the conference phone speaker. "Say again."

Mickey's voice crackled over the line. "It's asking for the password."

"Buffalo. Two Fs, one L," the Doctor placed his hands on the large desk and leaned his weight onto the table while Sparrow chuckled again at the ridiculousness of the password.

"All the secret information known to mankind. See, they've known about aliens for years. They just kept us in the dark."

"Mickey, you were born in the dark."

"Oh, leave him alone," Rose chastised, wanting to get a solution to their problem as fast a possible.

"Thank you. Password again."

"Just repeat it every time." The Doctor turned inwards towards his own thoughts. "Big Ben. Why did the Slitheen go and hit Big Ben?"

"You said to gather the experts, to kill them," Harriet pointed out.

"That lot would've gathered for a weather balloon. You don't need to crash land in the middle of London."

"A distraction then? If they get the entire world to pay attention to an alien crash, then it would be much easier to sneak around and take care of their true intentions, or at least prepare for them. Why else would they put the planet on red alert?" Sparrow cut in with her own theory.

"Oh, listen to her," Jackie groaned as she listened to the girl.

"Oi! Jackie, now is not the time. If you want to have a go at someone, do it when we're not in danger," Sparrow shouted at the speaker to the woman on the other line, but it didn't seem to affect anyone.

"No, I'm with Rose's mum on this one." Sparrow was shocked to hear Andy's voice over the speaker. "Ever since that man waltzed in all our lives, you've changed, and things have just gone haywire. It's not just me who thinks this either; Jess won't admit it but she thinks the same thing."

"Rose," Jackie tacked on. "I have been attacked in the streets. I've had creatures from the pits of hell in my own living room, and you two disappeared off the face of the Earth."

"I explained it to you. I explained it to all of you," Rose pointed out, then turned to Sparrow. "Including Andy and Jessica."

"I'm talking to him," the older woman on the line growled. "'Cause I've seen this life of yours, Doctor, and maybe you get off on it, and maybe you think it's all clever and smart, but you tell me. Just answer me this. Is my daughter safe?"

Jessica piped up for the first time since their phone conversation. "I think of Sparrow as family, she's like an older sister to me. She's always looked out for me in everything I did and I don't think Andy and I could bear to lose her or Rose. So what about it?"

"Jess, we're fine," Sparrow assured.

"Are they safe? Will they always be safe?" The Doctor looked at each girl as Jackie demanded an answer. He gave each of them a sentimental, but unsure look. "Can you promise me that? Well, what's the answer?"

"We're in." Sparrow didn't think she'd ever seen the Doctor as grateful for Mickey's interruption as he continued his directing.

"Now then, on the left at the top, there's a tab, an icon. Little concentric circles. Click on that."

"What is it?" Mickey asked as he opened the directed file.

"The Slitheen have got a spaceship in the North Sea and it's transmitting that signal. Now hush, let me work out what it's saying."

Sparrow could hear Jackie in the background, complaining most likely to Andy or Jessica. "He'll have to answer me one day." She was hushed by Mickey seconds after.

"It's some sort of message." The Doctor concentrated as he tried to figure out what was on the message. Sparrow tried as well, though she didn't know exactly what she was trying to figure out, but she thought it had something to do with the block she felt in her mind.

"What's it say?" Rose asked but the Doctor hadn't figured it out yet.

"Don't know."

"Hush!" Sparrow spoke the same time as the Doctor when Mickey's doorbell resounded over the speaker.

"That's not me. Go and see who that is," Mickey commanded to someone on his side. They left without arguing so it obviously couldn't have been Jackie.

"An advert, it's an advert!" Sparrow shouted.

"How do you know?" Rose was curious how the girl was able to figure it out before the Doctor when she was obviously having memory issues and stared at the girl, expecting an answer as well.

"It's just something in my head telling me that's what it is. I don't know how to explain it, I just know."

There was a shout on the other side of the phone that Sparrow recognized as Jessica's high pitched shriek. "It's him! It's Officer Strickland, the Slitheen!" It was obviously she who had checked the doorbell.

Sparrow threw her hands down on the table in worry. "Get out of there. Just never mind and get away from him!"

"But the signal," the Doctor tried to get them to go back but Rose wouldn't allow it.

"Never mind the signal, get out! Mum, just get out! Get out!"

"We can't. It's by the front door," Mickey called out. "Oh, my God, it's unmasking. It's going to kill us."

Harriet pleaded for the people she didn't even know. "There's got to be some way of stopping them! You two are supposed to be the experts, think of something!"

"What?" Sparrow was confused by Harriet's reference to both of them. "Why would I-"

"I'm trying." The Doctor cut in. Anyone could tell that his mind was already working at a mile a minute.

Sounds began to blur as Sparrow racked her mind for clues to help. Words still flowed through her mind but she didn't know what they meant. _Nuclear strike. Calcium phosphate. Acetic acid. United Nations. Raxacoricofallapatorius. Oh. Oh!_

"What else do we know about them? Information!" Sparrow picked up on the last bit of the Doctor's words as the ones in her head clicked together in a realization.

"Raxacoricofallapatorius!" Sparrow was looking at everyone like it were obvious, but they didn't get it. The Doctor did though.

"Oh." His eyes widened as he realized what Sparrow meant as she looked at him with that obvious look and he returned it, understanding now. "Get into the kitchen!"

"My God, it's going to rip us apart!" Jackie shrieked.

"Calcium phosphate," Sparrow informed the Doctor.

"Weakened by the compression field," the Doctor finished. "Acetic acid. Vinegar!"

"Just like Hannibal!" Harriet cheered.

"Just like Hannibal. Mickey, have you got any vinegar?"

"How should I know?"

"It's your house. Just look, idiot!" Sparrow shouted.

Rose blurted out towards the speaker to assist their trapped friends and family. "Cupboard by the sink, middle shelf."

"Oh, give it here." The phone line became muffed as they passed over the phone and Jackie's voice answered. "What do you need?"

"Anything with vinegar!" the Doctor informed her.

There was a momentary pause as Jackie searched the cupboards for anything with vinegar in them. "Gherkins. Yeah, pickled onions. Pickled eggs."

"And you kiss this man?" he asked Rose and then turned to Sparrow. "At least yours has standards."

"He's not-" Sparrow was cut off as the Slitheen on the other side of the phone farted and then exploded all over Mickey's kitchen.

When the situation was done, everyone seemed to relax a bit more. Sparrow even had to admit that all the mind working and and worrying over her loved ones got her adrenaline going a bit. She was breathing heavy from all the excitement, or whether it was an after effect from the town gas in her system she didn't know, and took her previous seat in one of the chairs at the table, smiling proudly at her work. She didn't prop her feet up this time though as she sat down; things weren't that informal anymore.

Everyone on Mickey's side resituated themselves to the living room by the telly when one of the Slitheen made an announcement to the news. "Listen to this." He held the phone by the television set's speaker and the voice grew louder.

"Our inspectors have searched the sky above our heads and they have found massive weapons of destruction capable of being deployed within forty-five seconds." It was the Slitheen that was impersonating Green.

"What?" The Doctor didn't appear to believe a single word of it and neither did Sparrow.

"Our technicians can baffle the alien probes, but not for long. We are facing extinction, unless we strike first. The United Kingdom stands directly beneath the belly of the mother ship. I beg of the United Nations, pass an emergency resolution. Give us the access codes. A nuclear strike at the heart of the beast is our only chance of survival because from this moment on it is my solemn duty to inform you planet Earth is at war."

"He's making it up. There's no weapons up there, there's no threat. He just invented it." The Doctor almost seemed offended by the words the Slitheen was pouring into the world's mind.

Do you think they'll believe him?" Worry and concern masked Harriet's voice.

"They have so far. What's to stop them now?" Sparrow added very solemnly.

"That's why the Slitheen went for spectacle. They want the whole world panicking, because you lot, you get scared, you lash out." The Doctor was beginning to piece everything together now.

"They release the defence codes," Rose continued but the Doctor finished.

"And the Slitheen go nuclear."

Now as Harriet was the newcomer to life with the Doctor, she still wasn't acclimated to it yet. "But why?"

The Doctor moved back towards the sealed door they came through and pressed the button again, this time to open the metal shutter. "You get the codes, release the missiles, but not into space because there's nothing there. You attack every other country on Earth. They retaliate, fight back. World War Three. Whole planet gets nuked," he narrated to the stalking Slitheen.

A short pudgy woman known as Margaret stepped out from behind the two big Slitheen. She had a sickly smug smile on her face that made Sparrow want to hit it. "And we can sit through it safe in our spaceship waiting in the Thames. Not crashed, just parked. Only two minutes away."

"But you'll destroy the planet, this beautiful place. What for?" Harriet again with her questions.

"Profit. Sparrow was right, that's what the signal is beaming into space. An advert."

"The sale of the century. We reduce the Earth to molten slag, then sell it piece by piece. Radioactive chucks, capable of powering every cut-price star liner and budget cargo ship. There's a recession out there, Doctor. People are buying cheap. This rock becomes raw fuel."

"At the cost of five billion lives." The Doctor was beginning to become agitated by this "woman's" responses.

"Bargain," Margaret purred maliciously.

"I give you a choice. Leave this planet or I'll stop you."

"What, you? Trapped in your box?" She and the rest of the Slitheen began to laugh at this notion but no one else found it amusing, especially not the Doctor.

"Yes. Me." Two words; so simple, yet so demanding when this man spoke them.

The Oncoming storm had begun to seep through to the Doctor's surface and it seemed to worry the Slitheen a fraction. The arrogant smile on Margaret's face fell while one of slight shock and fear replaced it as the metal shutter closed itself again.

* * *

It was morning now and the four were still trapped in the Cabinet Room, encased by the inches of steel lining the walls. Mickey, Jackie, Jessica, and Andy had stayed on the phone with them the rest of the night and kept it near the television set so they could stay informed. Rose stayed by the phone so she could be near her family while Harriet was further away, but still close by. Sparrow moved from her chair sometime while the news was being played to them over the phone, and stood at the end of the table, mostly keeping to her thoughts. She had hardly even noticed when the Doctor had leaned against the part of the table adjacent to her.

"All right, Doctor. I'm not saying I trust you, but there must be something you can do." Jackie's voice was hard as she tried to get the Doctor to do something.

Sparrow looked up at the Doctor and leaned towards him. He copied her movement leaning into the girl and she whispered to him. "There's always been something hasn't there?" The Doctor averted his eyes from Sparrow's, confirming her suspicions. "You have to tell them. The world needs to be saved, Doctor."

Something must have struck a chord in the Doctor because he turned away from Sparrow and towards Rose and Harriet. "There's a way out," he informed with a stern and solemn voice as he looked back at Sparrow.

"What?" Rose asked. She seemed anxious to know what it was.

"There's always been a way out."

"Then why don't we use it?" Her voice was now disbelieving as she found out there was an escape all along.

The Doctor rushed up to the speaker where the phone was still plugged in and leaned over it to direct his voice into the speaker. "Because I can't guarantee Rose and Sparrow will be safe."

Jackie immediately refused the idea before even hearing it. "Don't you dare. Whatever it is, don't you dare."

"That's the thing, if I don't dare, everyone dies."

"Do it," Rose commanded, her voice didn't even shake as she spoke.

"You don't even know what it is. You'd just let me?"

"Yeah."

Sparrow walked next to Rose in support of her friend. "I'd trust you with my life more than anyone."

"Please," Jackie begged. "Doctor. Please. She's my daughter."

Andy joined in defence of Rose's mother. "I just got Sparrow back, Doctor. I don't want to lose her again."

"They're just kids."

"Do you think I don't know that?" The Doctor was becoming defensive as everyone started to verbally attack him. "Because this is my life, you lot. It's not fun, it's not smart, it's just standing up and making a decision because nobody else will."

Sparrow took a step forward. "Then why don't you do it?"

"Sparrow, I could save the world but lose you." He reached out and grabbed her hand and sighed. "I could lose you and Rose."

It was Harriet's turn to step up to the plate and take charge. "Except it's not your decision, Doctor. It's mine."

"And who the hell are you?" Jackie seemed to turn sinister to the person taking everyone's lives into her hands.

Authority rung all throughout her voice as she mentally made the decision. "Harriet Jones, MP for Flydale North. The only elected representative in this room, chosen by the people for the people. And on behalf of the people, I command you." She looked up towards the Doctor. "Do it."

Rose trusted the Doctor as much as Sparrow and was completely on board with the Doctor's plan, even if she didn't know what it was "How do we get out?"

"We don't. We stay here." The Doctor moved towards the red box still sitting on the table and took out the Emergency Protocols, quickly scanning them and directing Mickey to data on the Royal Navy. "Use the buffalo password. It overrides everything," he directed towards Mickey.

"We're in. Here it is. HMS Taurean, Trafalgar Class submarine, ten miles off the coast of Plymouth." Mickey's voice rang from the speaker as he informed the Doctor.

"Right, we need to select a missile."

"We can't go nuclear. We don't have the defence codes."

"We don't need it. All we need's an ordinary missile. What's the first category?

"Sub Harpoon, UGM-A four A," Mickey read off from a list.

"That's the one. Select."

The Doctor gave a quick look at the girls behind him to check they were still with him. Rose nodded very seriously and Sparrow smiled at him slightly to convey her understanding. He turned back to the phone. "You ready for this?

"Yeah."

"Mickey the idiot, the world is in your hands." There was a brief and dramatic pause. "Fire."

Harriet gestured to the walls around them in the Cabinet Room. "How solid are these?"

"Not solid enough. Built for short range attack, nothing this big."

It was Rose's turn to take charge as she stepped forward for the spotlight. "All right, now I'm making the decision. I'm not going to die." She rushed over to the storage closet. "We're going to ride this one out. It's like what they say about earthquakes; you can survive them by standing under a doorframe. Now, this cupboard's small so it's strong. Come and help me. Come on."

Harriet moved to help Rose take out the heavy storage from the shelves. Sparrow started a few steps towards the closet and turned back to the Doctor. "It might work."

"It's on radar," Mickey's voice rang from the speaker as he informed the Doctor. "Counter defence five five six."

"Stop them, Mickey," Sparrow nearly shouted.

"I'm doing it now."

"Good boy." The Doctor smiled at Mickey for once even though he couldn't see it.

"Five-five-six neutralized."

Sparrow grabbed the Doctor's hand pulling him towards the now emptied cupboard. He made a quick grab for the phone, unplugging it from the speakers, and followed her pull. The four of them crammed into the small area, just barely making the fit.

Rose darted in first, then the Doctor as he pulled Sparrow in after him, Harriet Jones following the three of them. They fit as close together as they possibly could and an alarm started blaring in their ears, signaling an incoming attack.

The alarm made it impossible for Sparrow to hear anything Harriet was saying, she could only see her lips moving as she turned to speak to them. Sparrow reached up and clutched the front of the Doctor's jacket. She couldn't remember another time she had been so scared for her life. He managed to reassure her some as he squeezed her hand and she calmed down a bit, remembering who exactly she was with.

Then there was impact and the missile hit with an explosive force. The cupboard shook and rolled as the entire building crumbled around them. Whatever fear Sparrow had managed to shake off earlier came crashing back with a force almost as strong as the missile that was destroying the building.

"Doctor!" She screeched as she buried herself in the front of his torso, but her voice went unheard over the explosion. Arms wrapped around her, pulling her into the Doctor as they were tossed around, then everything was quiet.

They stepped out and the Doctor pushed the steel door to the destroyed enclosure open and Harriet stepped out first. "Made in Britain," she quirked and stepped father out to meet Sergeant Price.

The Doctor slowly peeled Sparrow from his body and gave her a quick once over. "Are you alright?"

Sparrow released the Doctor's jacket she had been holding on so tight to and put her hand to her head. "Maybe just a concussion. I should be fine."

He nodded and checked on Rose before walking over to Harriet.

"Someone's got a hell of a job sorting this lot out. Oh, Lord. We haven't even got a Prime Minister." Harriet was already worrying over the work to be done.

"Maybe you should have a go," the Doctor suggested.

"Me?" Harriet laughed at the idea. "I'm only a back-bencher."

Sparrow walked out with Rose by her side to meet the other two. "I'd vote for you."

"Me too," Rose agreed.

"Now, don't be silly. Look, I'd better go and see if I can help. Hang on!" Harriet stumbled down a pile of rubble as she called out to the public. "We're safe! The Earth is safe! Sergeant!"

The Doctor smirked as the three of them watched Harriet assume authority again. "I thought I knew the name. Harriet Jones, future Prime Minister. Elected for three successive terms. The architect of Britain's Golden Age."

"The crisis has passed! Ladies and gentlemen, I have something to say to you all here today! Mankind stands tall, proud and undefeated. God bless the human race."

* * *

The Doctor entered the Tardis, not wanting to be near the domestic lifestyle he wasn't used to. He was happy with his carefree, adventurous life and he had companions that he wouldn't trade for anything, especially not the stubborn, enigmatic, know it all ginger that always managed to stay by his side, no matter her condition.

"How are you feeling?" the Doctor asked Sparrow when he saw her sitting in the captain's chair with her head between her legs. She looked up and smiled at the so very caring Doctor.

"Fine. I talked to Andy and Jess before I left. They seem to understand better now, why I can't help but go with you." She smiled up at the man.

"What did you tell them?"

"Everything I could at the moment. I'm from another universe brought to this one by a time rift. This whole universe was a show and I've seen it all. There is so much more to the universe than just us. I'll always stand up for my Doctor." She turned away from his face as she realized she called the Doctor hers and concentrated on their shoes; his black, leather boots and her tan heeled boots. "Nothing specific though."

"So you remember?" the Doctor asked, tilting his head in question.

Sparrow corrected him. "It's not that I remember. It's more like I just kind of broke down part of whatever was blocking it, clawed and forced my way through. It happened in the cabinet room, while I was sitting there thinking. Bits and pieces pushed through, then chunks, and they started to finally make more sense. I was able to piece together whatever I could remember and that seemed to have the most reasoning." She looked up at the man in front of her again. "Doctor, why can't I remember anything? It's like it's there but I just can't access it."

"That's my fault," the Doctor admitted as he sat down next to her. "You went into a sort of shock. I think you might have some sort of electrical hormephobia."

"A fear of shock?" Sparrow asked, recognizing the word.

"It may be possible you don't remember you have it at all. It's not that uncommon. In the briefing room, you wouldn't respond to anything. You almost got caught in the crossfire when I tried to stop the flow."

Sparrow gasped as she remembered everyone else that was in the room when the electricity sprung from the ID cards. "The other experts, are they okay? What happened to them?" she asked urgently.

The Doctor shook his head in relief as he smiled. "They survived. Looks like the rest of the police got them out before the missile hit too. They're all still alive."

Sparrow sighed in relief as she heard the great news. "That's fantastic." Then she swallowed hard, remembering what the Doctor was just about to explain. "And what happened to me during this?"

Now the Doctor turned uneasy as he tried to explain what happened. "I didn't know what else to do at the time. You were in trouble and we were about to be slaughtered if you didn't snap out of it, so I sort of put a block on your mind."

"Wait, what?" Sparrow didn't understand what the Doctor was talking about; she didn't understand what he could do.

He rubbed the back of his neck. "Oh I didn't think I'd have to explain this to you. It's, uh, it's like telepathy; I was able to cut the memory of the shock from your system. We needed to get out of there fast and blocking off something specific takes time and concentration, which we didn't have.

"So what happened?"

"I did a quick patch and it appears that some other memories got stuck as well. Namely your foreknowledge."

While Sparrow didn't understand everything the Doctor was saying, she was beginning to understand what had happened earlier in Downing Street. "That's how I knew about the Slitheen's home world isn't it, and Indra too?"

"Yes."

She looked down and fiddled with her hands. "Can you, can you fix it? I mean, return the rest? I still remember some like how most of your companions didn't understand, didn't know nearly anything about what was happening. I want to because I did know. I feel like, I wouldn't really be me if I didn't."

With enough courage, Sparrow looked up at the Doctor and was surprised to see him smiling at her; she thought his face would have been stone serious.

"I wouldn't want it any other way." He positioned himself so his body was square with Sparrow and held his hands up to the sides of her head. "Can I?"

Sparrow took a breath and closed her eyes, letting him know that she was willing. She felt his hands on her temples and suddenly a cold, rushing feeling in her gut, but in her chest it was warm and open. She gasped at the feeling and her breathing increased as the Doctor made the connection.

"Are you alright?" It was strange for her to hear the Doctor speak out loud when their minds were connected. She struggled to find her physical mouth to respond.

"Y-Yes. Just keep going." The Doctor did just that and Sparrow could feel warmth in her mind again. Then it was gone.

It was like a thread being pulled from its stitching. The warmth was removed, but replaced by another one briefly as she felt the Doctor began to pull out of her mind. It was encouraging in every aspect and made Sparrow sure about any doubts she had. As she analyzed the feeling, it put the smirk back on her face and she opened her eyes.

The Doctor removed his hands and Sparrow signed, a little sad that she couldn't feel his touch anymore, but grateful that he was still sitting next to her. She could feel all her memories and all the knowledge she had back where it belonged, safe in her head.

"Anything?" The Doctor inquired.

"I was kind of expecting some sort of gasping effect when it all came back, but it just sort of floated back, like it'd always been there." Sparrow tried her best to describe the feeling to him.

"Are you sure you remember it all?"

She stared at him incredulously. "You're a Time Lord. Your nine hundred years old, you're from the planet Gallifrey in the constellation of Kasterborous. You've lived many lives, done some of the most amazing things, and some of the most regretful, but you would do anything to save the people you love." The Doctor realized his mistake and quickly got up to hide his embarrassment.

"Alright, I believe you then." He walked to the console of the Tardis and picked up the receiver to an old nineteen seventies trimphone. He dialed Rose's number while Sparrow laid back on the seat and sighed, going through her regained memories. She would occasionally chuckle at the scenes she remembered and catch a glimpse of the Doctor giving her a strange look which only made her laugh more.

By the end of the conversation, the Doctor had managed to cancel the Slitheen's advertisement, mock Jackie, locate a plasma storm, and convince Rose to join him in another adventure. He hung up the phone and sighed audibly when he was finished.

"Avoided tea with the family?" Sparrow asked absentmindedly.

The Doctor exhaled like a horse nickering and turned to face the girl. "One bullet dodged."

Sparrow laughed at how much he seemed to dislike domestic life and went back to her memories, this time humming a tune as she did. _The Doctor's Theme_ rung throughout the Tardis as she sung with her lips pressed together and the Doctor did some work on the console. She stopped humming mid-tune as a thought flashed in her mind. The Doctor's movements seemed to halt momentarily as the noise ended but then quickly resumed.

"Doctor?"

"Hm?"

"I just wanted to say thank you. For taking care of me, for listening to me, for making sure I'm always safe," She paused as she steadied herself to say her next words. "I've never been happier before."

The Doctor walked over to the redheaded girl and smiled. She sat up as he neared closer. "I know." He grabbed her hand pulled her off the seat, encasing her in a hug. "I'm glad you're here."

Sparrow bathed in his rustic and leather scent and smiled into his shoulder. She didn't know how, but she knew that his response was genuine.

* * *

It wasn't even an hour later and the Doctor was set to go with Sparrow by his side, they were only waiting on Rose to meet them at the Tardis. Mickey sat by the blue box sitting on some rubbish bins reading a newspaper while a boy cleaned off the graffiti he tagged the Tardis with earlier. The Doctor watched the boy as he did so to make sure he did the job properly and Sparrow leaned against the front of the Tardis with her leg propped up as her foot pressed into the door. She didn't want to see the Bad Wolf tag, though the Doctor nor Mickey couldn't understand why, they just thought it was graffiti.

When the Doctor was satisfied with the cleaning, he dismissed the boy. "Good lad. Graffiti that again and I'll have you. Now, beat it." The boy ran off with his bucket and scrubbing brush as the Doctor examined the scrub work.

"I just went down the shop, and I was thinking, you know, like the whole world's changed. Aliens and spaceships all in public. And here it is." Mickey gestured to his newspaper, holding it up for the other to see. The headline claimed that the whole alien fiasco was a hoax. "How could they do that? They saw it."

"The world's not ready, Mickey. Just wait though, soon enough the human race grows up," Sparrow added

"Nice to see you're back to yourself," Mickey mumbled.

"You're happy to believe in something that's invisible, but if it's staring you in the face, nope, can't see it. There's a scientific explanation for that. You're thick," the Doctor cut in, practically summarizing human nature.

"We're just idiots."

The Doctor smiled. "Well, not all of you."

"Yeah?" Mickey's spirits seemed to lighten at that remark. The Doctor reached into his jacket and pulled out a CD handing it over.

"Present for you, Mickey. That's a virus. Put it online. It'll destroy every mention of me. I'll cease to exist."

"What do you want to do that for?"

"Because you're right, I am dangerous. I don't want anybody following me."

"How can you say that and then take them with you?" Mickey nodded his head towards Sparrow, referring to Rose as well.

"You could look after them both. Come with us."

"I can't. This life of yours, it's just too much. I couldn't do it. Don't tell her I said that."

As Jackie and Rose neared, the three of them by the Tardis could hear the older woman pleading with her daughter. "I'll get a proper job. I'll work weekends. I'll pass my test, and if Jim comes round again, I'll say no. I really will."

"I'm not leaving because of you. I'm travelling, that's all, and then I'll come back."

Sparrow glanced around them to see Andy and Jessica trudging behind at a slower pace. She pushed off the blue box and passed the first two to meet who she considered family.

"Hey, how are you guys doing?"

Jessica smiled as she met her friend. "Copping; it's a lot to take in."

"Why didn't you tell us earlier?" Andy was serious and what Sparrow thought was agitated.

"Would you have believed me before today?"

"No, I suppose not." Andy sighed. "Do you really have to go?"

Sparrow smiled at him. "I don't think I could stay even if I wanted to."

"How do I know you'll be safe?" Andy was prepared to keep fire questions at her, but thankfully Jessica stepped in and stopped him.

"Andy, you saw how she was. She'll be fine."

"But-"

"No buts. She'll be _fine."_

"Jessica! I worry about her. We don't know anything about this Doctor and we're just supposed to let him swan off with her? No way, not while I'm still here."

Sparrow took her turn now, trying to comfort the man before she left. "Andy, please. I know just about all there is to about this man. I trust him with my life," She paused as her face turned hard and accusing. "And the past twenty-four hours should have been more than enough proof."

"Sparrow are you coming or what?" she heard the Doctor yell from behind her. The girl looked over her shoulder and shouted back to him.

"In a second!" Sparrow turned back to the two in front of her and hugged Jessica, then leaned over to Andy to give him a kiss on the cheek. "I promise I'll always come back for you," she whispered in his ear and then pulled away, running back to the Tardis. The girl ducked inside the doors, elated to be traveling through time and space with the Doctor and Rose once again.

Andy and Jessica walked towards the other two standing near the Tardis, watching their loved ones dematerialize in a blue police box. They stood there waiting the promised ten seconds, but nothing happened; no blue box, no mysterious Time Lord, no Rose or Sparrow.

* * *

**Thoughts appreciated. I always love to hear what you guys think. Especially if something somewhat different happens.**

**Love.**


	8. Dalek

**And the next chapter is good to go! **

**Let me just say, writing so much death; not fun. Emotional, but not fun. **

**Also, don't think I've mentioned it before but is where I get the transcripts to write all of these chapters. It is the most useful thing ever for information and perfect lines from each episode. It makes writing this story so much easier. **

* * *

Dalek

The TARDIS materialized in a dimly lit area with carpeting and display cases lining a long section of a room. The door to the blue box opened and the Doctor took a cautious step out, Rose following behind him, then Sparrow.

"So what is it? What's wrong?" Rose stumbled a bit as she walked around, trying to make out what she was looking at, but it was too dark.

"Don't know. Some kind of signal drawing the TARDIS off course." The Doctor seemed to walk with ease as if he could see and Sparrow wondered if his superior biology enhanced his vision in dark areas as well.

"Where are we?"

"Earth. Utah, North America. About half a mile underground. Welcome home, Sparrow."

The girl stiffened as she recognized those coordinates. "When are we exactly?" Her voice was now thick with a London accent as she hoped her worry didn't seep into her voice, and if it did she hoped that neither of them noticed.

"Two thousand and twelve." Fortunately the Doctor didn't notice her voice and examined a display case.

"God, that's so close. So I should be," Rose quickly did the math in her head. "Twenty-six."

Sparrow quickly composed herself again and announced her would-be age. "Twenty-nine here." She blinked as she realized how old that was. "Oh my God that's old." There was a silence hanging in the air and Sparrow could make out the image of the Doctor glaring at her. "Well, for a human I suppose."

The Doctor rolled his eyes and found the light switch on the wall, illuminating the small area.

"Blimey. It's a great big museum." Rose was staring in awe at the amount of glass displays.

"An alien one at that." Sparrow was examining a display that held a round piece of metal. "Someone has definitely been busy."

"They must have spent a fortune on this." The Doctor gestured to multiple displays. "Chunks of meteorite. Moon dust. That's the milometer from the Roswell spaceship." He pointed to the pedestal that Sparrow was looking at.

Rose gasped at the next display she saw. "That's a bit of Slitheen! That's a Slitheen's arm. It's been stuffed."

"Raxacoricofallapatorian," Sparrow corrected.

"Oh, look at you." The two girls looked over at the Doctor and the case that he was so interested in.

It was the head of a Cyberman, one of the older models like Sparrow had seen in classic episodes.

"My gosh. That is magnificent," Sparrow exclaimed and the Doctor looked at her like she was crazy. She quickly clarified her statement. "Don't get me wrong, I know they're practically pure evil and one of the most ruthless things out there but it is amazing to see one."

"Let's just be glad it's a dead relic in a museum."

"What is it?" Rose didn't understand what the two were talking about.

"An old friend of mine. Well, enemy. The stuff of nightmares reduced to an exhibit. I'm getting old."

Sparrow smirked and nudged the man in his side with her elbow. "Oh, you're only nine hundred years old. You've still got plenty of youth in you."

"Is that where the signal's coming from?" Rose gestured to the cyber head again.

"No, it's stone dead. The signal's alive. Something's reaching out, calling for help," the Doctor clarified.

Sparrow reached out to place her hand on the Cyberman display and just as her fingers made contact with the glass an alarm went off. "Shoot! I forgot about that," she muttered under her breath, but still loud enough that the others could hear over the alarm. It was then that the Doctor and Rose knew that this had once been an episode in Sparrow's world.

Armed soldiers rushed in from all sides of the room, cutting the three of them off from the TARDIS.

"If someone's collecting aliens, that makes you exhibit A," Rose stated, a little worried.

Sparrow leaned towards Rose and whispered to her. "In the future, let's not blurt out to the alien relic collectors that the man we're traveling with is in fact an alien."

The armed forced led the Doctor, Sparrow, and Rose into a lavish office where Henry Van Statten sat at his desk examining a small alien object. Others were crowded around his office as well, waiting patiently like good little lap dogs. Adam stood to Van Statten's right as he introduced the metal alien artifact. Diana Goddard stood ready at the side of the office, acting as an assistant should, while soldiers lined the office as they escorted the captives in.

"What does it do?" Van Statten was examining the artifact in his hands.

"Well, you see the tubes on the side? It must be to channel something. I think maybe fuel," Adam stated, pointing to the metal tubes. Sparrow rolled her eyes. _How can people think they are so informed about things when they know nothing about it?_

"I really wouldn't hold it like that," the Doctor said almost warningly as he jutted his chin towards them.

"Shut it," Goddard barked defensively.

"Really, though, that's wrong."

Adam looked at the device and took a cautious step back. "Is it dangerous?"

"No, it just looks silly." He smiled and reached for the item. Right as he moved, the soldiers around him took aim and cocked their weapons. Sparrow frowned at the hostile action and Rose's face was mixed with shock and worry while the Doctor's didn't even flinch as he continued to smile.

Van Statten stared skeptically at the man but halted the guards' advancement on the man as he held his own hand up to stop them. He stood from his chair and handed over the small metal instrument, watching interestingly as the Doctor held it.

"You just need to be," The Doctor paused in his speech as he stroked his fingers along the top of the device. A single note emitted from the ends of the tubes when they ran across the surface. "Delicate."

For something so small, it was beautiful, and the noise it made was even more so. The Doctor continued to play several different notes as he stroked his fingers in different places along its surface at different length, playing a short melody of various notes.

"It's a musical instrument." Van Statten actually seemed impressed for a moment.

"And it's a long way from home."

Van Statten reached out again and snatched the device back from the Doctor. "Here, let me." His smile fell as Van Statten attempted to play it as the Doctor had, only his strokes were harsher so they emitted tones not nearly as good as the Doctor's.

"I did say delicate," he criticized as he half leered at the man." It reacts to the smallest fingerprint. It needs precision."

Van Statten continued to play the device and finally got the hang of it, filling the air with softer tones, though they still weren't as fluid. "Very good. Quite the expert," The Doctor complimented this time and the smile reappeared on his face.

"As are you," Van Statten retorted. He casually tossed aside the instrument, letting tumble to the floor as if it weren't a precious artifact. "Who exactly are you?"

"I'm the Doctor. And who are you?" His attitude was put down as he saw how the man across from him treated such magnificent devices.

"Like you don't know. We're hidden away with the most valuable collection of extra-terrestrial artifacts in the world, and you just stumbled in by mistake."

"Pretty much sums me up, yeah."

"The question is, how did you get in? Fifty three floors down, with your little cat burglar accomplices." He gestured to the two girls behind the Doctor who were still quiet. "You're quite a collector yourself, they're rather pretty." Sparrow glared at him while Rose was the one to respond.

"They're going to smack you if you keep calling them they." Rose obviously picked up on Sparrow's feeling towards his comments as she saw the scowl on her face and included her in the retort.

Van Statten was impressed by Rose's spunk, but didn't take her threat into consideration. "They're English too! Hey, little Lord Fauntleroy. Got you some girlfriends."

"Oi! I'm not English! I was born here!" Any accent Sparrow had was completely gone as anger filled her voice and she shouted at the man.

"Feisty." Van Statten took a look at Rose and the Doctor, then back to the girl. "A bit strange though for an American girl to be traveling with two foreigners by herself, don't you think?"

Adam interrupted at this point and made an official introduction. "This is Mister Henry Van Statten."

"And who's he when he's at home?" Rose's voice was still harsh.

"Mister Van Statten owns the internet."

"Don't be stupid. No one owns the internet."

"And let's just keep the whole world thinking that way, right kids?" Van Statten jumped back in to talk for himself again.

The Doctor was beginning to understand what type of man Van Statten was as everyone else was bickering. "So you're just about an expert in everything except the things in your museum. Anything you don't understand, you lock up."

"And you claim greater knowledge?" Van Statten was still skeptical.

"I don't need to make claims; I know how good I am."

"And yet, I captured you. Right next to the Cage. What were you doing down there?"

"You tell me." The two were beginning to become more competitive with their remarks the longer they went.

"The cage contains my one living specimen."

"And what's that?"

"Like you don't know."

"Show me."

"You want to see it?"

There was a slight pause as the Doctor and Van Statten had a brief stare down. Rose began to feel slightly uncomfortable as she tried to lighten the mood. "Blimey, you can smell the testosterone."

"Boys and their toys," Sparrow smirked as she added onto Rose's response.

"Goddard," Van Statten turned to his assistant and began to hand out orders. "Inform the Cage we're heading down. You, English." He turned to Adam. "Look after the girls. Go and canoodle or spoon or whatever it is you British do." Sparrow was about to object but Van Statten continued asserting his authority over everyone. "And you, Doctor with no name, come and see my pet."

Van Statten led the Doctor out of the office one direction while Adam led Rose and Sparrow in another. The two girls were guided to his own office which looked more like a garage workshop. The room was lined with chunks of metal and foreign looking devices. Some simply looked strange and like a design had gone wrong, others looked like objects straight from a science fiction film.

"Sorry about the mess. Mister Van Statten sort of lets me do my own thing, so long as I deliver the goods. What do you think that is?" Adam, in his eagerness, held up an inch thick piece of metal for Rose and Sparrow to see, passing it to the blonde for her to examine.

"Er, a lump of metal?" Rose handed the rock to Sparrow for her to take a look at. She took the rock and turned it over in her hands like she were examining it, though really she wasn't too concerned with it.

"Yeah. Yeah, but I think, well, I'm almost certain, it's from the hull of a spacecraft." Sparrow mentally rolled her eyes at the boy's ignorance. "The thing is, it's all true. Everything the United Nations tries to keep quiet, spacecraft, aliens, visitors to Earth. They really exist."

"That's amazing." Sparrow shook her head as Rose tried to force surprise into her voice.

"I know it sounds incredible, but I honestly believe the whole universe is just teeming with life."

"It is such a shocker." Sparrow wondered if Adam was picking up on her intentional sarcasm but he didn't seem to notice.

"And you do what, sit here and catalogue it?"

"Best job in the world." Adam smiled as he flirted with the blonde.

"Imagine if you could get out there. Travel amongst the stars and see it for real."

"Yes, Rose. If only it were possible." There was a warning tone in Sparrow's voice as she tried to subtly advise against introducing Adam to traveling with the Doctor. She too didn't seem to pay any attention to Sparrow as she kept her attention on the man across from them. _Is this what it was like for Eleven when he'd try to get people's attention as they're being romantic with each other?_

"Yeah, I'd give anything. I don't think it's ever going to happen. Not in our lifetimes."

"Oh, you never know. What about all those people who say they've been inside of spaceships and things and talked to aliens?"

"I think they're nutters."

"Yeah, me too." Rose was acting like a teenager trying to get her crush to notice her as she turned away embarrassed and examined some of the tools hanging on the wall. "So, how'd you end up here?"

"Van Statten has agents all over the world looking for geniuses to recruit."

Sparrow snorted. "Yeah, right. Genius."

"Sorry, but yeah. I can't help it. I was born clever. When I was eight, I logged onto the US Defence System. Nearly caused World War Three."

"What, and that's funny, is it?" Rose seemed a little put off by Adam's tale.

"Well, you should've been there just to see them running about. Fantastic!" Sparrow slightly cringed as Adam spoke the ninth Doctor's catchphrase. Rose merely groaned slightly.

"You sound like the Doctor."

"Are you and him?" Adam asked implying a relationship between the alien and the blonde.

"No, we're just friends."

"Good." He turned to Sparrow and she could guess what he was about to ask her, though she didn't understand why. "And what about you? You seemed pretty defensive of him."

"Well, uh, no I guess not. I don't think I'm exactly his type." Sparrow wasn't sure why she was acting bashful as she talked about the Doctor. She knew that she had feelings for him, she'd come to terms with that, but didn't actually believe that the Doctor would return them. He preferred blondes anyway. That still didn't provide reason as to why she was acting how she was around this alien researcher who she cared nothing for.

"Right, good all the same." Sparrow looked up to glare at the young man in annoyance but Rose wanted her own conformation.

"Why is it good that?" she prodded.

Adam turned back to Rose and smiled before busying himself with something else. "It just is," he answered nonchalantly.

"So, wouldn't you rather be downstairs? I mean, you've got these bits of metal and stuff, but Mister Van Statten's got a living creature down there." Rose rounded the workbench to stand on the same side as Adam as she inched closer to him. Sparrow watched as she kept her arms out to give him a good view over her body.

"Yeah. Yeah, well, I did ask, but he keeps it to himself. Although, if you're a genius, it doesn't take long to patch through on the comm system."

"Let's have a look, then," Rose suggested excitedly as she followed Adam over to his computer.

"Um, Rose. I really don't think-"

"It's alright. It doesn't do much, the alien. It's weird. It's kind of useless. It's just like this great big pepper pot."

Sparrow wanted to snicker at that reference but restrained herself from doing so. A lot of people would die, maybe even herself, if she didn't keep her composure and rounded to the same side of the computer as the others, watching the screen.

Adam pulled up a video feed on his computer of the captive creature being tortured. He fidgeted uncomfortably as he realized what he had just opened the screen up to and the creature screamed out over the system while Simmons attempted to drill into its casing repeatedly. Rose watched in shock at what was being done to the creature. Sparrow sneered she watched the Dalek being tortured. She may not have liked them, but she didn't like the thought of torture either.

"It's being tortured! Where's the Doctor?" Fury filled Rose's voice as she saw what was happening.

Sparrow's sneer escalated to a growl as an image of the Doctor strapped down to a table and being tortured came to the forefront of her mind. "Van Statten's already got him locked up in his own cage."

"What? Take us down there now," Rose demanded and the man complied. He led them through the structure, towards the Cage where the captured Dalek was held. As they arrived outside of the prison a man tried to stop them, but Adam turned out to be good for something as he flashed a small silver badge.

"Hold it right there."

"Level three access. Special clearance from Mister Van Statten." The guards seemed to back down as he showed each in the control room the badge and the three were able to watch into the Cage effortlessly.

Simmons closed the door behind them and it sealed shut as the heavy locks shifted into place, leaving the three trapped in the room with a Dalek.

Sparrow was sure to linger near Rose as they cautiously approached the captive Dalek. Adam however, stayed near the back of the room, not wanting to get too close to the creature. The redhead looked over the Dalek, satisfied that the chains weren't broken, at least not yet.

It was battered and broken as it sat in the middle of its containment, surrounded by pillars with the chains holding it in place. The orbs around its body were bashed in and the shell surrounding the organic creature inside was brassing, leaving streaks of dark along its casing.

"Hello. Are you in pain? My name's Rose Tyler this is Alison Sparrow." She gestured to Sparrow behind her, referencing the Doctor as well. "I've got a friend, he can help. He's called the Doctor. What's your name?"

"Yes." The Dalek croaked.

"What?"

"I am in pain. They torture me, but still they fear me. Do you fear me?" Sparrow was sure to keep an eye on the gun attached to its body while it twitched as it spoke.

"No." Rose inched closer and she looked into the Dalek's eyestalk.

The Dalek's eyestalk lowered as it realized its fate. "I am dying."

"No, we can help." She was eager to help as the girl inched closer.

"Rose." This time Sparrow's voice wasn't warning, but commanding. She couldn't let the Dalek get loose.

"No. We can actually do something."

"I welcome death. But I am glad that before I die I have met a human who was not afraid."

Again, Rose moved closer. "Isn't there anything I can do?"

"My race is dead, and I shall die alone."

Rose reached her hand out for the Dalek's top dome but Sparrow was expecting that to happen. Each time she would inch closer, the redhead would follow, waiting for Rose to attempt to console the beast.

"Rose, no!" As Adam shouted, Sparrow lunged as she took a step to push Rose's hand out of the way.

There was a moment of ease when Sparrow saw Rose's hand was clear of the direction of the Dalek, but her foot caught on the edge of one of the it's chain holds. Momentum carried her forward as she tripped and anxiety filled the girl again. Sparrow saw where she was falling and if she didn't readjust herself soon, her own palm would land right on the metal dome.

It was too late though; the base of Sparrow's hand skid right across the Dalek as she fell to the ground at the base of the metal creature. The place where her hand had touched the metal left a golden handprint before it quickly faded and the Dalek became much more animated. It began to shake as its eyestalk twitched and it spoke very lively.

"Genetic material extrapolated. Initiate cellular reconstruction!"

"Sparrow, come on!" Rose grabbed the girl from the ground and held tight onto her hand as they ran with Adam to the outer room of the Cage just as the Dalek broke free of its chains.

Simmons entered the Cage and passed the three as they exited. "What the hell have you done?" He raised his drill towards the approaching Dalek and it raised its plunger towards him. "What are you going to do? Sucker me to death?"

Rose and Adam watched in horror as the Dalek did just that. Its plunger covered Simmons' nose and mouth and acted as a vacuum as it suffocated the man.

"It's killing him! Do something!" Rose turned to the other technician and nearly begged him as they did nothing but watch Simmons die.

Sparrow had been in shock since Rose had dragged her out of the room. She couldn't believe that she had been the one to reconstruct the Dalek, she was the one to set it loose, but now she didn't have time to dwell on that. She had to concentrate on getting to safety with Rose and in the process hopefully prevent a few deaths.

"You've got to keep it in that cell." The Doctor's voice rung out over the speaker system and Sparrow snapped to attention again, ready for the running. An image of him and Van Statten appeared on a small screen; they were back in Van Statten's office watching the scene on a larger screen.

Sparrow turned to the display and began to bark out orders. "Van Statten, you need to pull your men out immediately." She was ignored as a guard behind her informed his superior.

"I've sealed the compartment. It can't get out, that lock's got a billion combinations."

Already aggravated that no one was listening to her, Sparrow spun around to confront the soldiers now. "That won't matter to a Dalek. They're more intelligent than anything you've ever met. It can calculate a thousand times that in a single second."

On cue, the doors to the Cage opened and everyone's heads turned to the alien.

Bywater, the apparent commanding soldier at the time shouted for his men to open fire. Not a second later, Van Statten refuted it for his own purposes.

"Don't shoot it! I want it unharmed."

"Rose, Sparrow, get out of there!" The Doctor was unconcerned about the selfish man's actions at the moment. He just wanted to make sure his companions stayed safe.

Hearing the Doctor's concerns for the two girls, Bywater gave orders to the nearest guard as they were forced back into the next room. "De Maggio, take the civilians and get them out alive. That is your job, got that?"

De Maggio, a woman guard, obeyed and turned to the three in the back of the room. "You, with me," she ordered and began to head away from the danger area.

They ran and ran through the corridors of the structure, trying to get away from the enemy when they arrived upon another mass of guards in the middle of a corridor. De Maggio shouted at them just as they were visible so as the guards wouldn't fire upon them and would allow them to pass more easily.

"Civilians! Let them through!"

Again they ran and continued running when they reached a staircase.

"Stairs! That's more like it. It hasn't got legs. It's stuck!" Rose shouted victoriously.

They raced up the first section, but tried to stop as the echoes of the Dalek gliding down the halls reached them. Sparrow wouldn't have any of it though and urged the others to continue.

"Don't be daft! Daleks can levitate so that means we need to keep moving. Now! We're still in danger here." She didn't have time for any of this. She knew the worst was yet to come and didn't want to waste and time that could be put to better use, not to mention that they were in the process of running for their lives. She grabbed Rose and Adam and pushed them up the stairs with their soldier escort behind them.

The Dalek appeared as they nearly made it to the top and heard it call, "Elevate." Upon command and its body did so. The deadly creature began to levitate towards the stairs and up the steps, still in pursuit of the four of them.

Adam, Rose and Sparrow didn't waste any time in running up the remainder of the stairs, but De Maggio stayed where they had stopped and raised her gun. Sparrow immediately halted when she realized what the guard was doing.

"You can't! That thing will kill you."

She ignored Sparrow as she directed an order towards the only other official worker for Van Statten. "Adam, you get these girls out of here."

Sparrow was about to argue again but De Maggio gave her a hard stare telling her to obey. Reluctantly, she did so, but not before trying to give the soldier a better chance of survival. "Aim for the eyestalk. That'll be your best chance of destroying it."

De Maggio nodded and ushered the girl to continue on. She ascended the rest of the stairs and tried not to focus on the screams of the soldier behind her who had sacrificed herself. Sparrow had nearly caught up with Adam and Rose down the broke corridor as they turned into a large loading bay filled with even more guards, ready to shoot at the next thing that entered.

Sparrow could hear the commanding officer as he shouted at the two of them. "Hold your fire! You two, get the hell out of there!" Then she turned the corner as well and the commander growled at her. "And you. Move it!"

Rose and Adam ran past a guard at the entrance. Sparrow was now only a few paces behind them and she ushered for them to keep going.

"No, Sparrow. Wait!" Rose tried to shout, but Adam was pulling her along and away from the bay already.

Sparrow made it to the entrance at the other side of the large room and paused, shouting back to the CO. "You'll only stand a chance if you shoot it in the eyestalk. That's your best chance of defeating it!"

The man scoffed and brushed her advice off. "Like I told your friend earlier, I don't need help on how to kill a tin can."

Anger shook through Sparrow. _Of course no one would listen, why would anyone ever listen?_ Her eyes quickly scanned the room and spotted a camera. She straightened her body and pushed her shoulders back adding as much authority to her voice as she could. "Damn it Van Statten, get your men to listen or they will all die!" Anger spilled from her voice as she locked eyes with the camera lens.

There was no response.

She growled at the unnerving silence and opened her mouth to shout some obscenity at the man, but those foul words never left her mouth. The Dalek entered the loading bay from where Rose, Sparrow, and Adam had previously entered. Sparrow tore her gaze from the camera and looked towards the Dalek briefly.

Shivers ran up her spine as she gazed into the Dalek's metal eye. It was a strange feeling and she knew exactly what it meant. Sparrow quickly turned away and began running again out of the bay. She needed to leave; she was falling too far behind and if she didn't hurry up then-

Sparrow didn't want to think about what would happen. She knew now there was a chance that she could get stuck with the Dalek, but she also knew that she lacked the compassion that Rose had. She knew too much to be able to be that kind to a creature as foul as the Daleks and she feared that without it she wouldn't be able to convince the Dalek to alter its decisions.

There was another towering staircase and Sparrow could hear Rose and Adam ahead of her running up the flights. She was only three levels behind them, but if she hurried she thought she would be able to catch up. After all, she knew what would happen if she didn't and in all honesty, Sparrow didn't want to be within two feet of that Dalek.

She continued up the stairs when she heard Rose's phone ring and not soon after the girl's voice.

"This isn't the best time," she panted into the phone.

"Rose!" Sparrow shouted as she continued up the stairs. The blonde, peered over the railing to see what the issue was. "Drop me the phone." She paused and held her hands over the railing, ready to catch it. Rose complied and dropped the device, watching as it fell easily into the girl's hands. "I got it!"

"We'll wait for you," Rose shouted as Sparrow began her ascension up the steps again.

"No!" she shouted without stopping to look up at her friend again. She was now at least only two levels away from them. "Keep going. The Dalek isn't far behind and we need to get out of here before the vault seals."

Rose didn't need any more instruction afterwards. She and Adam continued up the steps while Sparrow followed behind. She held the phone up to her ear and spoke into the phone while trying to run her fastest up the steps at the same time without tripping. "Doctor!"

"Sparrow, where are you?" The Doctor's voice was filled with worry and urgency.

"Rose is ahead of me. She should be at level forty-six by now."

"What about you, why aren't you with her?" His voice seemed to double with worry.

"Forty-eight. I had to try and convince those soldiers but they wouldn't listen. I tried to save them but they wouldn't listen! I tried, I really did. Doctor I'm-"

"Now isn't the time for apologies. You've got to keep moving. The vault's being sealed off up at level forty-six."

"You think I don't know this!" she growled into the phone. It wasn't his fault that she was angry. He just happened to be the most useful thing to take it out on at the moment seeing as the Dalek probably wasn't the best option.

"I'm sorry. I can't wait and I can't help you. Now for God's sake, run!"

Sparrow lowered the phone, but was sure not to end the call as she did her best to run even faster. Level forty-eight, Level forty-seven. Level forty-six. She finally made it and exited the stairwell, the Dalek not too far behind her.

As she entered the corridor, Sparrow could see the Rose and Adam ahead of her, at least halfway to the exit. Her satisfaction grew, the bulkhead wasn't closing yet, they could all make it.

Then the most spirit crushing noise hit her ears at that moment; a siren, like one of a submerging submarine, blared throughout the facility as the vault began to seal. Rose was almost there, she would make it. Rose would be fine, but Sparrow didn't know about herself.

She pressed herself to get there fast, but she could feel that her legs were beginning to burn from how hard she'd already been running. Sparrow watched as Adam dove under the bulkhead, then Rose, completely making it under.

Sparrow was almost there; four meters at most, but her exit was very slim. Two meters now and she didn't know if she would make it, but she still kept running.

The bulkhead closed and Sparrow's body slammed against the metal wall enclosing her from freedom with a solid thud. Oddly enough, Sparrow felt nearly at ease; the Dalek was trapped, Rose would be okay, and the Doctor was safe. That's not to say that she was content with the situation. No, she would fight to survive, but she had to let the Doctor know that it wasn't his fault. She stayed close to the bulkhead and rested her forehead against the cool metal surface, raising the still connected phone to her ear.

"Doctor?" she breathed softly into the phone.

"Sparrow, where are you? Did you make it?" Again, there was worry in his voice, more than before.

"It's not your fault, Doctor."

There was a pause as he realized what she was saying. "Oh, Sparrow. I'm sorry. I didn't want for this to happen."

"What was that you said about apologies, Doctor? Now isn't the time?" She gave a weak chuckle. "You and Rose are safe. That's all that matters to me. I didn't belong in this universe any way, I was just an extra. Things won't be any different when I'm gone." She could hear the Dalek approaching and turned to face the deadly creature. "I want you to know, I don't regret any of it. Doctor, I-" She cut herself off as she smiled solemnly. "Well, I suppose it doesn't matter now, does it?"

The Doctor began to say something in response, but Sparrow didn't hear it as she lowered the phone and stared intently at the Dalek. She waited and finally it shouted, "Exterminate!"

A ray shot out from its gun arm and Sparrow inhaled sharply, her eyes screwing shut tight. She waited for the pain, but nothing happened. The beam didn't hit her and she slowly opened her eyes. The Dalek was pointing its gun at her as it twitched slightly.

"Well come on, then. Do it! Exterminate me!" Sparrow shouted with a little too much command in her voice.

"I am armed. I will kill. It is my purpose," the Dalek declared. It sounded half mad.

"You can kill me, but what good would it do you still trapped down here. On the other side of those doors is the Doctor. The Oncoming Storm. The Bringer of Darkness. The Predator of the Daleks."

"Titles have no meaning in this context." It sounded like a true Dalek as it recited what any other would have said and Sparrow snarled at the monster.

"All those people died because of you!"

"They are dead because of us."

"No." Sparrow paused for a moment and looked at the Dalek, her body filling with doubt. "I-I tried to stop this from happening."

"And yet you made it happen." Sparrow glanced down at its gun as it twitched again while the creature spoke. "I feel your fear."

"Yeah, well I'm less than an arm's length away from a Dalek. Not exactly the top of my list of fun things to do."

"Daleks do not fear. Must not fear!" Its voice began to rise as it became hysterical.

"Well I'm not a Dalek!" Sparrow nearly screamed.

The Dalek's gun arm darted to either sides of Sparrow, shooting its ray at each side of the bulkhead. "You gave me life. What else have you given me? I am contaminated."

"Humanity." Sparrow stated plainly.

There was another unnerving silence and Sparrow almost immediately regretted opening her mouth. If she didn't learn to control what she said, she was likely to end up exterminated as well.

The Dalek maneuvered around Sparrow and herded her towards the camera in the farthest corner from the bulkhead, activating it. A small screen powered on and Sparrow was able to see the inside of Van Statten's office with the Doctor and Rose both safe, whereas Sparrow had a gun pointed at her back. "Open the bulkhead or Alison Sparrow dies," it ordered.

"You're alive!" There was so much joy in the Doctor's voice at the sight of his still alive companion, but worry and concern still masked it.

"I honestly didn't think I would be either." She tried to smile reassuringly but she only half succeeded. The position she was in caused her to be too fearful to hide all of her worry away.

"I thought you were dead."

"Open the bulkhead!" the Dalek interrupted.

Sparrow frowned as they were interrupted and stared hard into the camera lens. "Doctor, you know you can't."

"What use are emotions if you will not save the woman you love?" The Dalek nearly crooned the words in its synthesized voice and Sparrow winced. After everything the Doctor, Rose, and she had been through, Sparrow still wasn't convinced that the Doctor had any feeling for her, at least not any strong ones like she had known he had harbored for Rose.

The bulkhead began to rise again and the Dalek walked Sparrow through the opening and down the long corridor with its gun pointed at her back. It led them to the lift where they entered and began to ascend the rest of the levels. Sparrow stood in the threatening silence as she watched the lift pass the other stories by, reaching closer and closer to the top floor.

"The Doctor won't let you leave this place," Sparrow pointed out as she was still held hostage, standing next to the Dalek. She knew it wouldn't listen to reason, but if that reason involved its life, she hoped that it would at least spark something in it.

The Dalek's eyestalk spun to face Sparrow head on and she had to backup to avoid being hit by it. "The Doctor will not let the one he loves die either," it stated before swinging its eyestalk back forward.

The corner of Sparrow's lip twitched at the Dalek's statement. If that was true and he did let the Dalek pass because he loved Sparrow, then that should have been proof enough that the Dalek's statement was true, but something still held doubt in her mind.

The Dalek spoke again and interrupted Sparrow's thought process as it began to question itself. "Why have I not killed you? Why are you alive? My function is to kill. What am I? What am I?"

Sparrow turned to face the Dalek, staring at it intently. "The DNA you extrapolated mutated your own gene pool. You can't kill me because doing that would be killing a part of you." The girl turned back to face the lift doors again. "The human part won't let you." She felt the gun being pressed into her side and Sparrow froze. She thought she might have gone too far this time and began to question herself again. _Why can't I just lean to keep her mouth shut like a good companion? Why can't I just follow the lines and stay quiet? _

She knew why though. She couldn't stand the Daleks; they had done so much to hurt the Doctor, and she had seen what had hurt had cost him. It's not as if she could just feel nothing after that. She remembered the equation to create a Dalek; subtract love, add anger. _Perhaps it would be best to try and not hate them as much. _

The lift doors opened to Van Statten's office and the man himself was standing there, almost waiting for them. His face was covered in fear as the Dalek moved forward intimidatingly and Sparrow followed behind it slowly.

"Don't make any sudden movements. Don't provoke with your twisting words. It's starting to question itself. Just don't make any wrong moves," Sparrow half instructed, half warned, specifically towards the museum owner.

"Van Statten." The Dalek approached the accused man menacingly. "You tortured me. Why?"

Goddard watched from the corner of the office in fear as she finally saw the creature that had killed so many of the staff already. It had killed so many, and was only a few feet away from her, ready to kill her boss.

"I wanted to help you. I just, I don't know. I was trying to help. I thought if we could get through to you, if we could mend you," Van Statten began to back away from the alien as it advanced on him. "I wanted you better. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry! I swear, I just wanted you to talk!" The Dalek now had him against a wall with only inches between them. Its gun was pointed directly at the man, making the man cower in fear.

"Then hear me talk now. Exterminate! Exterminate! Exterminate!" There was no sudden blast though. The Dalek's eyestalk spun around to face Sparrow. "Will you not stop me?"

"Honestly, I probably should but," She looked at the frightened man against the wall. She could see the fear he held for the next words to come out of her mouth. "Is he even worth it? This man is lowly and shallow. He tortured the Doctor just like he did you because he was something new. Would killing him actually change anything? That's not what you actually want anyway; there's something else.

The Dalek swung its eyestalk back to Van Statten, then the girl again. "Freedom. I want freedom."

Sparrow nodded as she was partially escorted out of the office and to the first level of the structure. It looked like the Dalek was still holding her hostage, but she also felt like she was guiding it as well, like it was following her.

They reached the first level in a large concrete area and stopped in the middle of the area. The Dalek pointed its gun towards the ceiling and blasted it open with a single shot. Sparrow quickly moved out of the way to avoid the falling debris. Then she felt the sun on her skin. She basked in the warmth as a ray fell straight onto the Dalek's eyepiece as well. She never thought she'd be so happy to feel the sun's heat again and sighed.

"How does it feel?" The Dalek croaked. It didn't wait for her to answer as it began to open its metal casing to reveal the inner creature. It held out one of its tendrils towards the light, feeling it on its flesh. The rest of its appendages twitched and squirmed in what seemed like delight at the feeling.

The Dalek was pale and deformed compared to the usual Daleks. It must have been very close to death before they arrived. Sparrow frowned as she realized if she had just pushed a little harder, they could have avoided that entire massacre.

Footsteps echoed from one corner of the room and Sparrow knew it had to be the Doctor. She took a deep breath, steadying herself for what she would have to do. What she would have to say to him.

"Get out of the way," the Doctor warned, but Sparrow only turned to face him and the large gun he was pointing at her. "Sparrow, get out of the way now!" This time he yelled it more as a command as anger radiated off him.

"Doctor, you don't have to do this." Her voice was calm and steady as she spoke. She took a careful step forward.

"That thing killed hundreds of people."

"I know." She took another few steps.

"All those innocent soldiers."

She stopped halfway between the Doctor and the Dalek. "I know. But look who's got the gun pointed at me now."

The Doctor's voice was more hesitant this time as he spoke again. "I've got to do this. I've got to end it. _You _should know this. The Daleks destroyed my home, my people. I've got nothing left."

"When it absorbed my DNA, it mutated. It didn't kill Van Statten and it didn't kill me. It's changing Doctor." Sparrow could feel her hands and arms beginning to shake. She didn't want to say the next part but she knew that she had to if the Doctor was going to stop his anger rampage. She didn't want to see him lose himself in the anger of revenge. Reluctantly, Sparrow took a deep breath and pushed her shoulders back again. She forced as much spite in her voice as she could muster against the Time Lord and sneered at him. "What about you Doctor? What they hell are you changing into?"

The Doctor was shocked. He hadn't expected her to act this way, Rose maybe, but definitely not Sparrow. "I couldn't- I wasn't-" He stumbled over his words as he tried to form a sentence. "Oh, Sparrow, they're all dead."

Sparrow's face softened as the Doctor dropped the gun and moved towards her. A small smile even grew on her face.

"Why do we survive?" the Dalek interrupted as soon as the Doctor was closer.

"I don't know," he admitted.

"I am not even Dalek anymore. I can feel so many ideas. So much darkness. Alison, give me orders. Order me to die." The Dalek's single eye looked to Sparrow and she nodded in allowance.

"Are you frightened, Alison Sparrow?"

Sparrow looked towards the Doctor in consolation and then back at the Dalek. "Aren't we all frightened of something?"

"Yes, we are. Exterminate." The Dalek declared its final statement and began to close its armor up again. The Doctor pulled Sparrow back as the Dalek levitated in the air. The bulbs around its body detached and formed a perfect sphere of energy around itself. The sphere imploded on the Dalek and it was gone.

The Doctor turned to Sparrow, looking at her, gazing at her, glad to see she was okay. She returned the sentiment, smiling back at him caringly.

"I'm sorry I had to do that to you, Doctor. I understand why you felt that way, but it wasn't needed. Not with this Dalek. It's just that I _do _understand, and that's what made it hard for me too, but if you hate something so much you usually end up like it in the end. I didn't want that. Not for you. Not for me. Not for Rose. I just want-"

The Doctor stopped Sparrow before she could ramble on any longer, pulling her into a hug. She relaxed in the Doctor's grasp, glad to be able to be held again. She didn't think she would get that chance with the Dalek.

The man pulled away after a short time as he looked at Sparrow. His gaze was kind, but also scolding as he spoke. "I don't care if you don't belong in this universe, Alison Sparrow. Things would never be the same if you left."

Sparrow blinked at his words. She remembered saying that, but didn't think that it would mean that much to him. "I didn't think I would make it out alive," she stated solemnly. "It was supposed to happen to Rose, but I changed it. She was caring and kind; that's why she survived. I only know resentment and hatred towards the Daleks. I didn't think I had enough sympathy to give, and because of that, I didn't know if I would survive this adventure, if I would get to see you again, to talk to you."

"But you had good intentions; the willingness to protect, and keep others safe," the Doctor smiled at her. "And it was strong enough to affect a Dalek. The last Dalek," he corrected, looking at the spot where the creature had once been.

"Yeah," Sparrow agreed. She was able to accept that her willingness to protect is what saved her and her traveling companions, but she didn't save anyone else when she had tried so hard. In the end she caused all the death and destruction, just like the Dalek had said.

She knew though too, that it was not the last Dalek either. There were still many more, but the Doctor didn't know that. Sparrow looked towards his face, content that the Time War was finally over.

The drama was finished and the adventure was coming to a close. Rose, Sparrow, and the Doctor were back at the TARDIS by all the displays in the small, narrow hallway.

"Oh, I'm so glad you're okay." Rose encased Sparrow in a hug and she returned it awkwardly. Sparrow wasn't quite over the whole near-death incident yet. "If I knew what was going to happen I never would have dragged you guys down to the Cage."

Sparrow only shook her head. "No. It's my fault. I actually did know but I still let all this happen."

"Then why did you?" The Doctor's voice was stern as he demanded an answer. "Why didn't you tell me there was a Dalek here?"

"I'm sorry but it's not like there's a rule book on what I am and am not allowed to say. It's dangerous, all this information; the things I know could shatter lives, destroy worlds. And it's all in my head."

No one said anything after until Rose spoke next, breaking the tension again. She seemed to be very good at that. "Blimey, I'm glad you're on our side then."

The Doctor sighed. "I understand how you feel. I truly do, but you don't have to keep _everything _to yourself. I'm sure something as serious as this would have been alright to let me know about. His voice was calm and reassuring as he spoke and it make Sparrow feel more relaxed.

She nodded as she thought about it more and more. "All of this probably could have been avoided I suppose. That Dalek would have died on its own soon enough it we left, huh?" She looked down at her hand, the one the Dalek has extrapolated her DNA from, and almost glared at it in resentment.

The Doctor nodded as Adam ran towards them. He look nearly frightened about what he was about to tell them. "We'd better get out. Van Statten's disappeared. They're closing down the base. Goddard says they're going to fill it full of cement, like it never existed."

"About time," Rose agreed.

"I'll have to go back home." Adam didn't seem too pleased by the idea.

"Better hurry up then. Next flight to Heathrow leaves at fifteen hundred hours." The Doctor didn't seem too keen on the idea of keeping the boy around. Rose however wanted to give him the chance to travel with them.

"Adam was saying that all his life he wanted to see the stars," she begged, hoping that the Doctor would allow just one more passenger with them.

"Then he better stand outside and look up because he is _not _coming with us." Sparrow however, was completely against the idea and wouldn't have Adam stepping one foot into the TARDIS.

"How can you say that?" Rose protested, not knowing the reasoning behind Sparrow's harsh words.

"Trust me. It won't end well for anyone."

"What're you talking about? We've got to leave." Adam did understand how the three of them were taking the situation so lightly.

Sparrow only shook her head as she herded the other two towards the TARDIS. The Doctor unlocked it for them and led Rose in followed by Sparrow leading in the rear.

"What're you doing? She said cement. She wasn't joking. We're going to get sealed in. Doctor? What're you doing standing inside a box? Rose?" He tried to creep into the blue box but Sparrow turned on him and blocked the entrance. She placed a hand on his chest and gave him a light pushed backwards.

"Nuh uh. You're stayin' here. Better start running, _boy_." Sparrow glared at him momentarily to let him know she was being serious and ducked back in the TARDIS, nearly slamming the door behind her. She walked up the grated ramp to the TARDIS' console where the Doctor was ready to dematerialize.

"Would it really have been that bad?" the Doctor asked, somewhat concerned as he looked over to the sulking Rose. She was leaning against the railing, waiting for the Doctor to take them away from the museum.

Sparrow nodded. "Would have sold us out for some information on the microprocessor. Some genius," she mumbled the last part as the Doctor laughed at her response. She watched him as he turned back to the console and began setting the controls. He seemed to be in a rather good mood for everything that just happened.

Next thing they knew, the TARDIS was hurtling through the time vortex, tossing around its passengers. Rose glued herself to the railing while the Doctor maneuvered his way around the controls trying to stabilize the TARDIS' flight pattern.

Sparrow, while holding on for her life, watched the Doctor work, a hundred thoughts racing through her mind. _What if I were to just press the blue stabilizers? _Sparrow wondered and her eyes darted to a set of blue buttons on the console. She dismissed the action for the moment. _Better save that knowledge for later._ Her mind jumped to another idea as the Doctor reached across her to turn a wheel clockwise twice. _What that Dalek said about the Doctor, could it have been true? I mean, it was half mad but-_

Sparrow smiled as she gazed at the Doctor, a new hopefulness on her face. She didn't know how long she was ogling at him but he eventually noticed.

"What is it?" the Doctor shouted over the grinding the engines.

She quickly realized the Doctor had picked up on her look and she turned away, her face becoming red from embarrassment. She was about to speak when an unusually harsh bump and a loose grip on Sparrow's end caused her to fall, toppling to the ground.

Before the Doctor was able to even move towards her, Sparrow shot back up and held on to a handle with a vice grip. At least now she could pass off the blushing from her fall rather than bashfulness.

"Nothing. I'm fine," Sparrow answered, remembering the Doctor's question.

He grinned at her and turned back to the controls, Sparrow making sure to only sneak glances when he wasn't looking. The more she thought about it, the more complicated the idea of the Doctor being in love with her seemed, but it still caused Sparrow to smirk uncontrollably. Although, something in her provided a spark that kept her hoping that maybe, just this once, her presence changed things.

* * *

**More feels, yay!**

**Updates soon.**

**NOTE EDIT: Since Adam didn't go in the TARDIS, this does NOT mean that the events of Bad Wolf didn't happen. To fill in the gap that will be, they arrived, Sparrow solved the mystery early, no hour long episode needed. The Mighty Jagrafess of the Holy Hadrojassic Maxarodenfoe (Max) was defeated and events continued as normal. **

**Love. **


	9. The Empty Child

**Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all! **

**Call it a Christmas miracle or just my present to you but here is the next chapter. I'm sure today has been a trying day for most Whovians, but hey life moves on and the Doctor is still fighting for us. **

**Also, I just wanted to let you guys know that I really love reading the reviews I've gotten so far. Usually when I get the email it scares me half to death that I'll get one where someone doesn't like it, but then I open it up and they all put a smile on my face. So that you all!**

**Moving forward, in honor of today, here is the next chapter, including Captain Jack Harkness (^.^)**

* * *

The Empty Child

Whether it had been mere weeks or months, Sparrow did not know. It actually was reasonably hard to tell time inside the TARDIS and the Doctor was on no help either. Any time Rose or Sparrow asked him the time he declared that although he was in fact a Time Lord, he was not a pocket watch.

Sparrow was contemplating this as she sat in the main room of the TARDIS, watching the Doctor control the ship. She would occasionally ask what specific controls did and sometimes he would comply and explain their functions. Other times he would pass her inquiry off, stating that little apes like her wouldn't be able to understand. This usually provoked some level of scorn from the girl, and every now and then a slap on the arm.

Mid-explanation as to what the relative dimensional stabilizers actually did and why the Doctor preferred not to use them, the TARDIS entered alert mode and began to beam warnings at them.

"What's happening?" Sparrow asked as she tried to move towards the control console. She found it even more difficult than usual though as the TARDIS jerked this way and that, altering her direction even if she didn't intend to do so.

"Some sort of alert." The Doctor was examining the scanner as he spoke, then quickly turned back towards the console to try and steady their flight pattern. Sparrow took his position at the monitor, trying to read the inscriptions, but they were all in Gallifreyan.

Rose entered only a few seconds later, struggling as Sparrow had, to cross the metal grated floor. She held on tight as she was tossed onto the console, demanding to know more about the situation as well. "What's the emergency?"

"It's mauve," the Doctor answered again, this time more detailed.

Sparrow looked up at the mention of mauve and glanced at Rose. _No way. _Her insides bundled with joy as she realized what was happening and the largest grin grew on her face despite the fact that they were being thrown about like rag dolls. She got a closer look at the shirt the girl was wearing and beamed at the Union Jack sprawled across Rose's chest. _This one. I love this episode!_

"Mauve?" Rose asked, confused by the use of the colour.

"Instead of red," Sparrow clarified. "Mauve is the universal color for danger everywhere else. Earth just hasn't caught on yet."

"It's got a very basic flight computer. I've hacked in, slaved the TARDIS. Where it goes, we go," the Doctor stated rather smugly as he continued to work around the console, leaning this way and that, though keeping himself centered by the monitor.

"And that's safe, is it?" Rose wasn't too convinced as the TARDIS refused to cooperate with the Doctor.

"Well," Sparrow was about to answer but the Doctor cut over her, convinced of his work.

"Totally." The Doctor reached for a control on an adjacent console panel when there was a large burst from the time rotor and sparks flew across in front of his face, causing the man to flinch. Both girls jumped themselves and gave out gasps at the initial shock of the burst.

"Okay, reasonably. Should have said reasonably there. No, no, no, no!" The Doctor grabbed one side of the monitor while Sparrow still held the other as her support and examined the screen. "It's jumping time tracks, getting away from us."

"What exactly is this thing?" Now Rose was curious as to what they were following.

"No idea," the Doctor answered, disctracted by his work as he tried to keep him on the same path of the illusive object.

"Then why are we chasing it?"

"It's mauve and dangerous, and about thirty seconds from the center of London."

They followed the crashing vessel as it spiraled down to Earth. The Doctor landed the TARDIS with a jolt and the three of them exited the blue box. They stepped out the doors and into a back alley between two buildings. It was night and there was the faint noise of music in the background, though that still didn't distract from the rotten smell of a nearby dumpster.

It didn't bother Sparrow that much though; she was too excited for what was about to happen, granted that some of it wouldn't be pleasant, but exciting all the same. She stepped farther into the alley and spun around once as she got a good look at everything. "Oh. This is brilliant!"

"What's wrong with her?" Rose asked, confused by her friend's reaction. The Doctor shrugged.

Sparrow turned to face at them and they recognized the look of familiarity on her face. They had seen it previously; each time she had informed them that their following events were from the show in her universe, Sparrow would get a certain look on her face, usually followed by a smirk of contained joy. Occasionally that look would be cheerful as it was now, other times it was more grave and worrisome like it had been with the Dalek, but there was always continuity to her expression as a mask of familiarity laid underneath each emotion.

She couldn't help it as she smirked at the Doctor and gave him a knowing look. "Oh. Oh, you are going to love this one," she stated simply.

The Doctor's face lightened as he saw how excited Sparrow was. He smiled back at her and then began walking farther down the alley, Rose and Sparrow following him. "Do you know how long you can knock around space without happening to bump into Earth?" he asked no one in particular as he began to walk off down the alley, Rose and Sparrow both following him.

"Five days? Or is that just when we're out of milk?" Rose joked with a smile on her face.

"Of all the species in all the Universe and it has to come out of a cow." He steered the conversation back towards finding their dangerous and mauve object. "Must have come down somewhere quite close. Within a mile, anyway. And it can't have been more than a few weeks ago. Maybe a month."

"A month? We were right behind it." Rose could believe that it had gotten that far away from them.

"It was jumping time tracks all over the place. We're bound to be a little bit out. Do you want to drive?" They rounded a corner when Sparrow spoke up again.

"She can't be that much worse than you." The Doctor grimaced at her.

"Yeah," Rose agreed sarcastically. "How much is a little?"

"A bit," the Doctor defined.

"Is that exactly a bit?"

"Ish," he continued to clarify sheepishly.

"What's the plan, then? Are you going to do a scan for alien tech or something?"

"Rose, it hit the middle of London with a very loud bang. I'm going to ask." The Doctor reached into his jacket and pulled out the psychic paper, showing her the ID on it.

"Doctor John Smith, Ministry of Asteroids," she read aloud.

"It's psychic paper. It tells you-"

"Whatever you want it to tell me, I remember," Rose finished in a slightly non amused voice.

"Sorry." They arrived at a back door to a building and the music was louder than before. The Doctor examined the door while Rose stood beside him and Sparrow leaned against the wall of one of the adjacent buildings.

"Not very Spock is it, just asking," Rose mentioned after a moment of silence.

The Doctor pressed his ear against the door and spoke a he concluded his method would provide better results. "Door, music, people. What do you think?"

"I think you should do a scan for alien tech. Give me some Spock for once. Would it kill you?"

The Doctor ignored Rose for the most part and worked on opening the door with his sonic screwdriver. He looked back over his shoulder at the quiet redhead who he hadn't heard say anything in a while. "What? No witty response from you, then? No suggestions?"

Sparrow shrugged and pushed off her perch on the wall, opening her mouth to speak but then closed it. "Actually, you know what? I'm just going to let this one play out. Minimal interfering. It'll be like I'm not even here." She cut her arms across her chest as she sliced the air for emphasis. She glanced towards Rose's shirt and smirked. "Nice shirt by the way."

After looking at the Union Jack top that Rose was wearing, the Doctor furrowed his eyebrows. "Are you sure about that t-shirt?" His voice was disbelieving as he examined it.

The accused girl looked between the two of them and then down to her shirt, pulling her hair out of the way to see. "Too early to say. I'm taking it out for a spin." The Doctor rolled his eyes and turned back to unlocking the door.

"Mummy? Mummy?" Sparrow's eyes darted to the side as she heard the innocent noise, but didn't draw attention to it.

"Come on if you're coming. It won't take a minute." The Doctor called to the two girls behind him. Rose looked after the man and watched as the Doctor entered through the doorway.

"Alright. No need to be pushy." She followed him into the building leaving Sparrow standing by the entrance.

"Rose?" There was no response. The blonde didn't answer her and she didn't come back either. She couldn't believe it; Rose had gone with the Doctor and left Sparrow to fill in her role as the damsel in distress hanging from a barrage balloon.

"Mummy?"

_She is going to pay for this, _Sparrow growled in her head as she ran back towards the TARDIS and headed up a nearby fire escape.

She climbed and made her way to the first section of the roof. The child was only one more level up as she looked at the boy in the gas mask.

"You're Jamie then, yeah?

"Mummy?"

"Yep, that's you alright." She sighed and looked for a way up to the next roof. "Alright. Just stay there."

A rope lowered in front of Sparrow and she looked it up and down, grabbing it with a secure tug. She began to scale the wall and got about halfway up when the child called out again.

"Mummy. Balloon!" Sparrow looked up at him to see him pointing his small finger towards the sky, near where the rope had descended from.

"I know kid." She took a deep breath and grabbed onto the rope even tighter waiting for the takeoff.

The barrage balloon began to drift away from the building, taking Sparrow with it. She squeaked as the wall left her feet and tried to wrap her leg around the rope for support.

"Oh God, this is very high." She tried not to look down but that proved rather difficult when there was nothing else to look at. She passed over the alley where the TARDIS was parked and immediately regretted her action. "Now it really is going to be like I'm not there. I wonder if they'll notice. Why would any sane person do this willingly? They wouldn't! Oh lord, now I'm talking to myself. Maybe traveling with the Doctor is turning me mad. Well, you know what they say, 'a madman with a box.' Although, I suppose in this case it would be 'a mad woman with a box." Sparrow was rambling on, using it as a tool to try to distract herself from the impending doom she could face at any moment.

Searchlights began to light up the sky as explosions scattered around the city when bombs were dropped over London. Fires began to spread and German planes were headed straight for Sparrow as the balloon continued to ascend in the sky, giving her a perfect view of the London Blitz.

The balloon was still travelling over London as it passed the Westminster Bridge. Jets were still zooming past Sparrow, blowing her and the rope back and forth above the city. "Oh this is not good." Sparrow could feel her grip slacking. "Jack, you need to hurry your suave ass up." Her hands began to slip farther down the rope until she couldn't hold on anymore and fell towards the hard ground.

"Jack!" she screamed as she hurtled towards the ground.

However, her fall was stopped as a beam encased the girl and preventing her from moving much. It was an odd feeling to keep balance in a tractor beam but Sparrow managed as she occasionally jerked in her suspended position.

"Okay, okay, I've got you," an invisible voice called out over a speaker system. Sparrow didn't need to see who it was though. She had been waiting for Captain Jack Harkness to catch her, though it seemed to take longer than she thought.

"It's about time. Now please, get me down from here!" She paused as she thought about her chosen words and then added on, "Safely."

"I'm just programming your descent pattern. Keep as still as you can and keep your hands and feet inside the light field."

"Yeah, okay. I'll do that." There was a little too much sarcasm in Sparrow's voice for being suspended above the ground in midair by only a tractor beam.

"Be with you in a moment." His voice was gone as he left Sparrow hanging in the air, then returned only moments later. "Ready for you? Hold tight!"

"On to what?" she shouted.

"Fair point."

"Ithoughtso!" Sparrow's words slurred together into a scream as the beam pulled her down towards the ship at an incredible speed. She exited the end of the light field and fell directly into the arms of Captain Jack.

"I've got you. You're fine, you're just fine. The tractor beam, it can scramble your head just a little." Sparrow looked at him as he spoke and blinked her vision clear.

"I bet you do this to all the ladies. Well, I say ladies."

Jack set Sparrow onto the floor of the ship and she stumbled for a moment, trying to get her footing.

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah." She nodded her head and then smoothly switched to shaking. "Nope.

"You look a little dizzy," he commented.

"I'm not going to pass out. No. I've done that too many times to the Doctor already. I'm tired of it and when I do I usually can't stop talking and say too much." Sparrow paused for a moment and stared at Jack with a confused look "Oh. Hello. You are cute." Sparrow was unable to fight off unconsciousness anymore. Her legs gave out and she fell right into Captain Jack's arms yet again.

When she regained consciousness not long after, she woke up on a bunk in the center of the ship. Again, she blinked rapidly to clear her eyes but still found it hard to see in the darkness and shot up from the bed. She looked around as her sight adjusted and examined the small spacecraft with its wires and metal tubes protruding from the walls and ceiling.

"Better now?" Jack asked as the captain's chair turned to face the girl.

"I never thought I'd ask to make the lights brighter after passing out. Usually I have a headache the size of Canada." Sparrow joked in a still groggy voice. The lights turned on and illuminated the area allowing her to see better. The ship was small, but definitely alien; the off-world technology proved so.

"Hello," Jack greeted from his captain's chair.

"Hi." Sparrow answered as she moved to sit on a small perch near the front of the ship. "How long was I out this time?"

"No more than fifteen minutes. You talk in your sleep."

"Great," Sparrow groaned and the man chuckled at her.

"Do you do that often?"

"Pass out? As of lately, yes."

There was a long period of silence as neither of them said anything. Sparrow looked up at Jack's face where he had an expectant look. _Oh! I forgot, I know him but he doesn't know me. Looks like I'll have to play the part of innocent time traveler's companion. _She snorted internally at the thought of her being innocent. If anything, she was far from that.

"So, who are you, then?" Sparrow asked as she forced curiosity and interest into her voice.

"Captain Jack Harkness, One Three Three Squadron, Royal Air Force. American volunteer." He took an ID card out of his pocket and handed it to Sparrow to read. She couldn't help but smirk as she looked the card over.

"Right, and I'm from another universe." Sparrow half joked, handing the card back to Jack, concentrating hard on removing the writing on the card rather than transferring any other information onto the card for him to see. Jack looked at her with an interested look and looked down to read the card she had handed him and smiled, caught in his lie. He looked back up at the girl to see the satisfied smirk on her face. "Psychic paper. It tells me what you what you want it to say."

"How do you know?" Jack asked as he leaned back in his chair, waiting for an answer.

"Many reasons." She reached into her own pocket and pulled out her laminated psychic paper. Sparrow had ditched the wallet a while ago seeing as she didn't need money when she traveled with the Doctor. Sparrow passed Captain Jack her own psychic paper for him to examine. "I've got one too. I know the difference."

"Ah."

The uncontrollable smirk on her face grew even larger. "And your _identification_ just told me you're single and work out.

"Tricky thing, psychic paper."

"Yep. Can't let your mind wander."

"Is that why yours is telling me you haven't been in a _committed _relationship in over three years and you've got a thing for adventurous men." Sparrow quickly looked away and Jack immediately smiled at this action. She had thought that she wouldn't have this problem with him, but it appeared not.

"I blame the fifty-first century pheromones," she retorted rather snarkily.

"Ooh. Red hair and intelligent." Jack smiled as he handed Sparrow her psychic paper back and she snatched it from his hand, stuffing it into her back pocket again. "How'd you know?"

"Like you said, I'm intelligent." She winked at the man and as furrowed his brows at her response. _Well, so much for not flirting with Jack._

"So, you know I'm not from around these parts. You obviously aren't either."

"So you've noticed."

"You're cloths are made of fabrics that won't be around for at least another two decades."

"Someone knows his history." Sparrow joked and turned to examine part of the ship. As she moved to pick up a piece of metal work lying on the ground, she winced, dropping the object again with a clatter.

"Burn your hands on the rope?" Jack asked, guess what the cause was.

"Yeah." She turned her palms towards her to examine the damage. Some parts had sores while on other parts the skin had been completely torn away.

"Can I have a look at your hands for a moment? Jack held his own hands out for the girl to place hers in. She complied and moved closer to conducted his own examination.

After a moment of scanning her hands with a small sliver tube, Jack glanced up at the girl to see her gazing at nothing in particular with her eyes unfocused. He could only guess she was thinking.

"You know, you can stop acting now," Jack blurted out. " I know exactly who you are. I can spot a Time Agent a mile away."

"I'm sure you can," Sparrow stated sarcastically, though Jack didn't seem to pick up on it.

"I've been expecting one of you guys to show up. Though not, I must say, by barrage balloon. Do you often travel that way?" he asked with his own joke a he lowered the tool in his hands and focused more on Sparrow herself.

She shrugged. "I thought it might catch your attention."

"Really?" He raised an eyebrow at the girl, truly believing her explanation for a moment.

She scoffed. "No way! Why would any sane person purposefully hang from a barrage balloon hundreds of feet above London during the Blitz?" Sparrow chastised herself internally for actually making that stupid mistake.

"Fair point," Jack nodded in agreement. He removed his scarf and began to wrap it around Sparrow's wrists lightly. "Try to keep still," he directed as he pressed a button on his console above him.

A glowing cloud of small, yellow particles formed around Sparrow's hand and she stared at them in awe. "Nonogenes." They fluttered around her hands, repairing the skin, then faded away when their job was done.

"The air in here is filled with them, and they just repaired three layers of your skin." He untied the scarf from her wrists and she flexed her hands, testing the new skin.

"Amazing."

Jack stood from his captain's chair and moved farther down the ship"Shall we get down to business?"

"Business?" Sparrow asked as she looked up from her hands at the man routing through a bin in the back.

"Shall we have a drink on the balcony?" He reached for an unopened bottle of champagne and pressed another button and a small hatch opened on the ceiling that would lead them to the top of the ship itself. "Bring up the glasses," He instructed and Sparrow did as she was told. She hopped up from her own seat and grabbed two of the referenced glasses from a shelf on the ship, following Jack up the ramp to the hull. _Remember, this is what he does; flirt. So don't get involved. You promised you weren't going to interfere in this one, _she chanted to herself inside her head.

She ascended to the outside of the ship, staring out over the horizon. "Despite it being a horrifying event, it is an amazing view," Fires were spread throughout the city below them and searchlights continued to comb the sky for the German planes. She then peered down over what she assumed was the edge of the ship. "So, how do I tell where I'm walking?"

Jack pulled out a remote control from his coat pocket a pressed a button. The ship decloaked in a shimmer and revealed the smooth, metal surface they were standing on.

"Okay." She turned to glance at the large building so close to them. "I have to say, I am liking the view of Big Ben."

"First rule of active camouflage. Park somewhere you'll remember."

Clever," she commented and Jack opened the bottle of champagne he brought with him, pouring Sparrow a glass. He directed her to a portion of the ship where they sat down to discuss "business." Sparrow sat down first and Jack handed the girl her own glass, he however, laid down and lounged across the hull in a very relaxed manner.

Sparrow took a sip of her drink and lowered it to her lap. "I'm drinking champagne one hundred and eighty feet above the ground on a spaceship. This just rings confidence."

"I try never to discuss business with a clear head." Jack took a sip of his drink before speaking again. "Are you travelling alone? Are you authorized to negotiate with me?"

"And this would be about the Chula warship we're talking about I take it?"

"Are you in power to make payment?"

"Well, I should probably talk to my companion."

Jack was in shock. "Companion?"

"We can probably find him easy enough."

"Him?"

"Are you just going to repeat everything I say?" Jack didn't respond as he continued to look at Sparrow with a disappointed pout on his face. She couldn't bear to see him like that so decided to give him his own moment to impress as she stood up, leaving the champagne on the ground. "You haven't got the time do you?"

He followed her movement and stood beside Sparrow as he pulled out the same remote he used to decloak his ship. This time he pressed another button and the clock face beside them lit up while Big Ben struck nine thirty.

"Now you're just showing off."

Jack inched closer to Sparrow, wearing a cocky grin on his lips as his hands reached for the girl's sides. "So when you say your companion, just how disappointed should I be?"

"I think you'd like him _very _much. Perhaps a little too much. And you're still flirting with me."

"Are you not enjoying it?" His voice turned sultry.

"Well, I mean, um." Sparrow stumbled around in her speech as she tried to compose a proper sentence.

"Do you like Glenn Miller?"

"I'm sorry?" Sparrow's mind was still scrambled eggs, either from the tractor beam or Jack's closeness, she didn't know.

He pressed another button on the remote and "Moonlight Serenade" filled the air around them. Some insignificant part of Sparrow's mind wondered where the music was coming from. However, the majority of her mind was now concentrated on how Jack was slipping a hand further around her waist to dance.

They moved gracefully on top of the ship as Jack guided Sparrow in the movement. He leaned his head down next to Sparrow's ear and began to whisper to her. "It's nineteen forty-one; the height of the London Blitz, the height of the German bombing campaign, and something else has fallen on London. A fully equipped Chula warship. The last one in existence, armed to the teeth." He pulled away now to look at the girl's face, though still holding on to her. "And I know where it is, because I parked it. If the Agency can name the right price, I can get it for you. But in two hours, a German bomb is going to fall on it and destroy it forever. That's your deadline. That's the deal. Now, shall we discuss payment?"

Sparrow tried to clear her mind but with the romantic scene, it proved difficult to do so. Coupled with the fact that life with the Doctor left little room for romantic interest, she wasn't sure she wanted Jack to stop just yet. "Well, you know what?"

"What?"

"You make it really hard to concentrate."

Jack stopped their swaying as his tone became more serious. "Two hours, the bomb falls. There'll be nothing left but dust and a crater."

"Hm, I shouldn't have said anything to make you stop," she pouted, not quite caring what he was saying at the time.

"Are you listening to any of this?" Jack demanded and Sparrow sighed as she shook her head to get back in the right mind set.

"You used to be a Time Agent but then you went rogue. On your own now, criminal," she teased.

"Oh, you're a cheeky little Brit."

"Oi! American." Sparrow pulled away and gestured her hands along her body. "I just went to England for a visit and sort of ended up stuck there," she answered sheepishly as she looked away from Jack.

"My kind of gal, crossing into nations, getting involved with the locals." He winked at her before getting back to business. "So, this companion of yours, does he handle the business?"

"It's probably a good idea to go find him, yeah." Sparrow pulled farther away from Jack again, finally coming back to her senses. He was a good man, but she didn't put it past him to try something.

"Then I'll do a scan for alien tech."

"Oh, my friend, she would like you. There's no need though. I know exactly where he is. Albion Hospital, in one of the patient wards."

"She?" Jack asked, interested in the feminine pronoun.

"Again with the repeating," Sparrow rolled her eyes and grabbed his wrist as she dragged him back into the ship. "Come on."

* * *

They reached the hospital, not at all surprised to find it in disrepair. With everything happening during the war, renovating a hospital hardly seemed the top of the list. The halls were dark and disbanded as they wandered the building looking for the Doctor and Rose. It made Sparrow shudder as she thought of the patients lying in beds, alive, but also dead inside.

"I forgot how creepy this place is," she half whispered, afraid if she spoke any louder she might wake the patients.

"You've been here before?" Jack asked skeptically. He didn't bother to lower his voice. He didn't know what had happened.

"Um, well, not exactly." Jack was about to open his mouth to question her answer but Sparrow cut him off. She didn't feel like explaining complicated cross-dimensional theories with him at the moment. "This way. I think I hear voices."

They made a turn down one of the adjacent corridors and the noises grew louder.

"Hello?" Jack called out.

"Hello?" Sparrow copied Jack's lead and called for someone to answer.

They nearly walked past a pair of double doors as Jack called out one more time when the Doctor stepped through the doors to examine the noise. Jack immediately moved forward to introduce himself.

"Good evening. Hope we're not interrupting. Jack Harkness. I've been hearing all about you on the way over.

"I've been telling him all about you, Rose, and I. How we're Time Agents." Sparrow tried to put enough hint in her voice so she could inform the Doctor without making Jack suspicious.

"And it's a real pleasure to meet you, Doctor." Jack walked forward through double doors and into the ward. When he was out of range, the Doctor turned to Sparrow with a questioning look on his face.

"I thought you weren't going to interfere," he whispered as they slowly began to walk back to the ward themselves.

"I wasn't, but Rose ended up deferring from what she was supposed to do. Believe it or not, we kind of need him." Sparrow pointed after the American soldier.

The Doctor rolled his eyes. "Where were you anyway? The London Blitz isn't the best time to go for a stroll you know."

"Who said anything about walking?" Sparrow quickened her pace ahead of him and pushed the doors open to walk through. "Barrage balloon is the way to go if you want a view of the air raid," she called over her shoulder and continued into the ward.

"What?" The Doctor quickly followed her through the doors, not sure if she was joking or telling the truth, but shocked all the same.

"Oh, right." Sparrow stopped and spun on her heel to face the Doctor, almost running into him. When she recovered, she leaned closer to the man and whispered so the others wouldn't hear. "Listen, Jack is trying to make the Time Agency an offer to recover the last Chula warship." Sparrow informed.

"Chula?" The Doctor turned his head to meet Sparrow's gaze. Their faces were only inches apart and she nodded seriously, backing away from him.

He looked towards Jack as the man examined the patients for himself. The Doctor was beginning to put the pieces together.

"This just isn't possible. How did this happen?" Jack stood up from examining another patient. He looked to the Doctor for answers as the other man approached, Sparrow behind him.

"What kind of Chula ship landed here?" the Doctor demanded.

"What?"

"It's a warship, so he says. He stole it, parked it, and a bomb will fall on it if we don't make him an offer," Sparrow added.

"What kind of warship?" The Doctor was determined to get an answer.

"Does it matter? It's got nothing to do with this." But Jack was determined to avoid it.

"This started at the bomb site. It's got everything to do with it. What kind of warship?" The Doctor's voice escalated to a yell as he became aggravated and Jack matched his loudness.

"An ambulance! Look." He fidgeted with his wrist strap and produced a hologram of the vessel that crashed. "That's what you chased through the Time Vortex. It's space junk. I wanted to kid you it was valuable. It's empty. I made sure of it. Nothing but a shell. I threw it at you. Saw your time travel vehicle, love the retro look, by the way, nice panels. Threw you the bait."

"Bait?" Rose asked, needing her own answers.

"I wanted to sell it to you and then destroy it before you found out it was junk," Jack clarified.

"You said it was a war ship."

Sparrow crossed her arms over her chest as she chastised the man. "It was a con, Rose. Jack here is a con man." Sparrow tilted her head to the side as she quickly appraised Jack's appearance and pressed a fake pout on to her lips. "It's a shame too. This night started out so nice." The Doctor glanced behind him towards Sparrow at her mention, suspicious of what she meant, but pushed it to the back of his mind for a more convenient time.

"And I thought you were Time Agents. You're not, are you?"

"Just a couple more freelancers," Sparrow stated smoothly with a smirk.

"Oh. Should have known. The way you guys are blending in with the local colour. I mean, Flag Girl and Miss America over here were bad enough, but U-Boat Captain?" Rose wasn't too shocked by the remark on her shirt. She had figured out early enough what was going on and that a Union Jack across her chest was a bit out there for the current time period. Sparrow was put off by the accusation though. She looked down at her cloths, acknowledging that they were decades early and maybe a little fancier that required, but didn't think they put her that much in the open. The Doctor was finding the name calling rather amusing until his style got pulled into the mix and frowned at his nickname. Jack however, continued, not paying attention to their reactions. "Anyway, whatever's happening here has got nothing to do with that ship."

"You want to tell them what you found Doctor?" Sparrow suggested, motioning towards the circle of beds.

The Doctor glared at Jack. "Human DNA is being rewritten by an idiot."

"What do you mean?" Rose didn't understand, but neither did the Doctor.

"I don't know. Some kind of virus converting human beings into these things. But why? What's the point?" He looked around at the patients as he worked out solutions in his mind.

Suddenly, they sat up from their beds, attentive and aware to their presence. "Mummy? Mummy?" they called over and over again as they all stood from their beds, including the recently changed Doctor Constantine.

"What's happening?" Rose was fearful, and still the Doctor didn't know what to tell her.

"I don't know." The patients began to walk the four of them back against a wall, getting ever closer.

"Mummy?"

"Don't let them touch you," the Doctor ordered as he positioned himself in front of Rose and Sparrow to protect them.

"I think I've got that, thank you," the redhead replied.

Closer, and closer, and closer. The patients continued towards the Doctor, Sparrow, Rose, and Jack, closing in on them quickly. They were determined to captivate them the closer they got, constantly chanting, "Mummy? Help me, Mummy. Mummy. Mummy?"

There was nowhere left for them to go. They were trapped.

* * *

**As a side note,**

**We'll all miss you Matt Smith, you had a good run. Like a wise man once said:  
**

_**"Everything's got to end sometime, otherwise nothing would ever get started."**_

_**- The Doctor**_

**But as someone leaves, another enters. We look forward to a great regeneration with you Peter Capaldi!**


	10. The Doctor Dances

**You guys asked for it, and because I'm so nice, I'm going to publish this chapter early. Also because I watched the Time of the Doctor again and needed to distract myself so I wouldn't bawl my eyes out again.**

**Nights Eternal Dream - You know, I think I knew the entire time that Christmas morning would be fun, but as soon as I watched that special, my days was going to go down hill. Also I completely agree with the Matt Smith thing, but I'm also excited to see what Peter Capaldi will bring. I just don't want to wait so long to find out and sit in my despair over Matt's departure.**

**Imou - That's great to hear, really! It puts a smile on my face. Like, Four's wide toothy grin kind of smile. Also, that's for the suggestion on the summary. I updated it. Let me know what you think and if you have any other suggestions, let me know.**

**11 Dr. Luv - I know, especially since she really fancies... :/ I bet that makes things a bit awkward now.**

**Well wait no more for the conclusion of this story arc!**

* * *

The Doctor Dances

"Mummy? Mummy? Mummy? Mummy? Mummy?" dozens of different voices called out. They weren't innocent, not entirely, and were dangerously close to touching Jack, Rose, Sparrow, and the Doctor. They were backed against a wall and there was nearly nothing they were able to do.

That is, until the Doctor stepped forward. "Go to your room," he commanded to the patients with strong authority in his voice.

Everyone stopped, not just the patients but the others behind the Doctor as well, waiting for what would happen next. The group in front of them tilted their heads as they listened to the Doctor.

"Go to your room," he repeated. "I mean it. I'm very, very angry with you. I am very, very cross. Go to your room!" He enunciated each of his last four words and the patients hung their heads in shame as they shuffled back to their beds.

Sparrow bit her lip as she tried to contain her excitement and hide the laugh that threatened to escape. It probably wouldn't have been too bad if she showed it, but Jack didn't know about her yet and thought their current task was more important than background questions. However, at the Doctor's next lines Sparrow couldn't help but let out a muffled snicker.

"I'm really glad that worked. Those would have been terrible last words." He looked at the three behind him and smiled at their reaction.

They each took cautious steps out into the middle of the room again, observing as the patients settled back into their beds. Rose inspected the patients, sure not to touch them after what she just saw. The Doctor paced the room, his mind working at a mile a minute. Sparrow leaned against the desk in the center of the circle of patients, sure not to disturb any of the contents on the desk. Jack however, took a sat right in the chair and propped his feet up on the desk, causing more disarray of the objects as he casually folded his hands in his lap.

The Doctor turned to Jack, still not through with his questioning from earlier. "How was your con supposed to work?"

"Simple enough, really. Find some harmless piece of space junk, let the nearest Time Agent track it back to Earth, convince him it's valuable, name a price. When he's put fifty percent up front, oops! A German bomb falls on it, destroys it forever. He never gets to see what he's paid for, never knows he's been had. I buy him a drink with his own money, and we discuss dumb luck. The perfect self-cleaning con," Jack stated rather smugly. He was impressed with himself for the act, though the Doctor and Sparrow shared no sentiment in the idea.

"Yeah, unless it's volcano day," Sparrow grumbled under her breath. Jack couldn't hear what she said exactly, but got the general idea from the look of disdain in her face. He attempted to defend himself by elaborating on his "brilliant" plan.

"The London Blitz is great for self-cleaners. Pompeii's nice if you want to make a vacation of it though, but you've got to set your alarm for volcano day." He looked back at Sparrow. The look didn't fade away, only worsened. "Getting a hint of disapproval."

"Take a look around the room," the Doctor pointed out, gesturing to the patients around them. "This is what your harmless piece of space-junk did."

"It was a burnt-out medical transporter. It was empty."

"Rose. Sparrow." The Doctor had enough of Jack as he turned and headed for the ward exit.

Rose looked up from her inspection of the room and followed the man with Sparrow behind her. "Are we getting out of here?"

"We're going upstairs."

"I even programmed the flight computer so it wouldn't land on anything living," Jack shouted as he stood up from the desk. "I harmed no one. I don't know what's happening here, but believe me, I had nothing to do with it."

The Doctor stopped at the wooden door and turned to face the egotistical man who so sure that nothing was his fault. "I'll tell you what's happening. You forgot to set your alarm clock. It's volcano day."

An alarm sounded just as the Doctor finished accusing the man, signaling the approach of another raid.

"What's that?" Rose asked, looking for the noise.

"That, Rose, is our countdown timer," Sparrow stated, staring at the Captain dejectedly.

They all left the ward quite eagerly, running down the hospital corridors, the Doctor leading the way, far ahead of the other three. He moved fast as they tried to keep up but eventually lost sight of him around a corner. They continued running, down the halls and past an opening to some stairs. They almost ran right past them, not even realizing that the Doctor was up those steps.

"Have you got a blaster?" The Doctor peered over the edge of the stairs, shouting to the three running past the arch opening. They did a quick backtrack to see the man that was above them.

"Sure!" Jack offered and led the two girls up the stairs reaching a metal door, locked up tight.

"The night your space-junk landed, someone was hurt. This was where they were taken."

"What happened?" Rose asked, mostly with concern for the person that was hurt.

"Let's find out. Get it open." The Doctor directed Jack to the door and stepped aside so the man could blast the lock.

Rose leaned towards the Doctor and whispered to him so Jack couldn't hear. "What's wrong with your sonic screwdriver?"

"Nothing," the Doctor smiled, watching as Jack pointed his own gun at the lock and completely disintegrated it into a square hole of nothing.

"Sonic blaster, fifty-first century. Weapon Factories of Villengard?" The Doctor approached the door to take a better look at the weapon as Jack willingly let the man examine it in his own hands.

You've been to the factories?" Jack asked surprised.

"Once."

"Well, they gone now, destroyed. The main reactor went critical. Vaporized the lot."

"Like I said. Once," the Doctor pointed out again and handed the gun back. "There's a banana grove there, now." Sparrow smiled as she waited for the Doctor's next lines. "I like bananas. Bananas are good." He smiled as he walked through the door into the patient's room. Sparrow slid past Rose as she stayed behind next to Jack and strolled next to the Doctor.

"His is bigger than yours," Sparrow pointed out jokingly to the Doctor. He looked at her curiously.

"So?"

"Well, you know what they say." Her voice was sarcastic as she dragged her words out and smirked up at the man.

He rolled his eyes at her thought process. "You know size isn't all that matters," he stated defensively as he moved around some papers on a nearby table, glancing over them.

"Yeah," Sparrow admitted, shrugging. "But it still helps."

"What are we talking about in here?" Jack asked, interested in their overheard conversation. Rose was following beside him, examining the room the farther they walked in.

Half the room was very official with desks, cabinets, and papers. The filing cabinets were placed around the room, some closed and orderly, others were open and disheveled with papers lying about. On top of the tables sat electronic equipment, some broken and other pieces still functioning.

The other half of the room was separated by a broken observation window with a connecting door in the wall. The room was perfectly fitted for a child. A small bed, crayons and paper, toys, colorful decorations, all to make the patients in a comfortable environment for observation. Drawings were along the walls and scattered across the floor, all from the child, looking for his mummy.

"What do you think?" the Doctor asked the newly arrived pair.

"Something got out of here." Jack looked around the room examining the mess and broken window.

"Yeah. And?"

"Something powerful. Angry," he concluded.

"Powerful and angry."

Sparrow ran her hand over one of the drawings as she moved into the second room; a child and his mother, one of the strongest bonds in the world.

"He's only a child," Sparrow stated somberly. "He's just lost. He wants his mummy."

"How could a child do this?" Rose was shocked that someone so small could make such a mess.

The Doctor clicked a button on the tape recorder to begin playing the device. The voice of Doctor Constantine played out, talking to the patient; the little boy. Jamie.

"Do you know where you are?"

"Are you my mummy?"

"Are you aware of what's around you? Can you see?"

"Are you my mummy?"

"What do you want? Do you know-" He was cut off as the child interrupted him.

"I want my mummy. Are you my mummy? I want my mummy! Are you my mummy? Are you my mummy? Mummy? Mummy?"

"I heard him earlier. He was on a roof by the TARDIS," Sparrow informed the lot of them.

"Me too," the Doctor admitted.

Mummy?" the tape continued.

"He doesn't know who his mummy is," the girl continued. She felt nothing but empathy for Jamie.

"Mummy?"

"He's lost and scared and alone."

"Are you there, mummy? Mummy? Please, mummy? Mummy?"

"Always looking for him mummy, his family." Sparrow felt very sorry for the child. He was lost, without anyone else. _Separated from his only family, just like I was. _

"Doctor?" Rose had taken notice to the Doctor as he paced around the edges of the room anxiously, concentrating hard on something.

"Can you sense it?"

"Sense what?" Jack didn't seem to understand either.

"Coming out of the walls. Can you feel it?"

"Mummy?"

"Funny little human brains. How do you get around in those things?"

When he's stressed, he likes to insult species," Rose explained to Jack.

"Rose, I'm thinking," the Doctor hushed.

"He cuts himself shaving, he does half an hour on life forms he's cleverer than."

"There are these children living rough round the bomb sites. They come out during air-raids looking for food."

"Mummy, please?"

"Suppose they were there when this thing, whatever it was, landed?"

"It was a med ship. It was harmless," Jack defended.

"Yes, you keep saying harmless. Suppose one of them was affected, altered?"

"Altered how?" Rose asked, unsure of what the Doctor was talking about.

Sparrow's eyes flicked to the recorder as the child continued to talk only now there was the addition of a persistent clicking noise. She walked over to inspect the device. "I'm here!"

"It's afraid. Terribly afraid and powerful. It doesn't know it yet, but it will do. It's got the power of a god, and I just sent it to its room."

"Doctor." Worry seeped into Rose's voice.

"I'm here. Can't you see me?"

"What's that noise?"

"The end of the tape." Sparrow pressed the stop button so the clicking ended, but the child continued.

"I'm here, now. Can't you see me?"

"The Doctor sent it to its room. Well, this is its room."

"Are you my mummy? Mummy?" The child was with them, a gas mask covering his tiny face as it stood in the other half of the room by the tape recorder.

"Doctor?" Rose's level of worry had now escalated to fear as they spun around to see the boy and she hid behind the Doctor.

Captain Jack's authority began to show as he directed the group. "Okay, on my signal make for the door."

"Mummy?"

He slowly began to move behind the Doctor and Rose and he reached into his jacket and pulled out what he thought was his blaster, aiming it at the child over the Doctor's shoulder. Only, it wasn't his blaster, but a banana as the two looked at the fruit curiously. "Now!"

"Mummy?"

In front of the man pointing a banana at a dangerously strong child, the Doctor pulled Jack's blaster from his belt. He pointed it at one of the walls emptying out a large square hole for them to go through. He directed them through the hole. "Go now! Don't drop the banana!"

"Why not?" Jack shouted as he pushed the girl's through the square hole in the wall, the Doctor following behind them.

"Good source of potassium!"

"Give me that!" Jack snatched the blaster from the Doctor and pointed it at the wall to the child's room before it could reach them. He pulled the trigger and the square piece of wall rematerialized as if it were never gone. "Digital rewind. Nice switch." Jack nodded towards the Doctor and tossed the banana at him.

"It's from the groves of Villengard. I thought it was appropriate."

"There's really a banana grove in the heart of Villengard and you did that?"

"Bananas are good."

"I don't mean to interrupt but," Sparrow tried to warn them to keep moving, knowing the wall wouldn't be able to hold the child for long. As if on cue, there was a large thud and a crack from the wall. "Come on, let's go!"

She directed them to begin running away from the room, but they only got as far as around the corner before ward patients began to fill their exits. The pounding on the wall continued as the child was determined to get to them until it crumbled to pieces and they tried back the other way.

"Mummy. Mummy. Mummy."

They were trapped back where they had jumped through the wall and there was no appearent way for them to go.

"It's keeping us here till it can get at us," the Doctor explained as he turned to cover the one side of the hall while Jack had the other.

"It's controlling them?" Jack didn't seem to understand how powerful this child was.

"It is them. It's every living thing in this hospital."

The military man raised his blaster again and pointed it at the oncoming crowd. "Okay. This can function as a sonic blaster, a sonic cannon, and as a triple-enfolded sonic disrupter. Doc, what you got?"

The Doctor pulled out his screwdriver and pointed it too at the oncoming threat. "I've got a sonic- Oh, never mind."

"What?"

"It's sonic, okay? Let's leave it at that."

"Disrupter? Cannon? What?"

"It's sonic! Totally sonic! I am soniced up!

"A sonic what?"

"Screwdriver!"

Jack turned to look at the Doctor and his sonic screwdriver. The child finally managed to break through the wall and there was nowhere else to go for them on that level.

"I've had enough!" Sparrow declared. She grabbed the blaster still in Jack's hand and pointed it at the floor beneath them.

They fell through the hole, down to the next level in a dark room with the lights shut out. They all immediately jumped up still fully aware of the danger. Jack grabbed the blaster from the girl and pointed it at the hole in the roof, fixing the gap.

"Is everyone okay?" Sparrow asked, momentarily worried that her stunt might have hurt someone.

"Next time give us a warning, yeah?" the Doctor shot, perhaps a little too snidely at her.

"You're welcome," she slurred.

"Who has a sonic screwdriver?" Jack accused, obviously not hurt from the fall.

"I do," the Doctor answered defensively.

"Lights." Rose searched around the dark room for some way to brighten the room while the men had it out in a "whose is bigger content." That's when Sparrow remembered that they weren't alone in the room. Other patients, all possessed by the child, were with them and she too began to look for a switch.

"Who looks at a screwdriver and thinks, ooh, this could be a little more sonic?"

"What, you've never been bored?" The Doctor continued to defend himself while Jack continued his attack on the other's ego.

"There's got to be a light switch." Rose stated determined.

"It's around here somewhere. Just keep looking," Sparrow directed.

"Never had a long night? Never had a lot of cabinets to put up?"

"Here!" Rose called out to Sparrow and switched the lights on, illuminating the ward.

More infected patients sat up from their beds and turned their attention towards the fleeing group. "Mummy. Mummy."

"Door," Jack directed as the patients got out of their beds. He pointed the blaster at the door and attempted to create an escape for them but nothing happened. "Damn it!"

"Mummy."

"It's the special features. They really drain the battery."

"The battery?" Rose asked, surprised. The Doctor moved to the door and worked to unlock it with his sonic screwdriver. That did the trick better than Jack's blaster and they crossed through the door "That's so lame!"

"I was going to send for another one, but somebody's got to blow up the factory."

"Oh, I know. First day I met him, he blew our job up." Rose gestured to Sparrow as she spoke. "That's practically how he communicates."

The Doctor locked the door and finished up, standing straight to inspect the work. "Okay, that door should hold it for a bit."

"The door? The wall didn't stop it!" Jack accused, having no idea what a sonic screwdriver could actually do.

"Well, it's got to find us first! Come on, we're not done yet! Assets, assets!" He was trying to inspire confidence, get the other three's minds working.

"Well, I've got a banana, and in a pinch you could put up some shelves."

"Window," the Doctor suggested as he moved to examine it, but Jack was quick to put him down.

"Barred. Sheer drop outside. Seven stories," He announced as he settled himself in a chair.

"And no other exits," Rose wrapped up.

"Well, the assets conversation went in a flash, didn't it?"

"So, where'd you pick this one up, then?" the Doctor turned to Sparrow, annoyed with the cynical man.

"Is now _really _the time?" she answered.

"She was hanging from a barrage balloon, I had an invisible spaceship. I never stood a chance." Jack toyed with the both of them.

The Doctor ignored Jack and turned as he counted off their task list. "Okay. One, we've got to get out of here. Two, we can't get out of here. Have I missed anything?"

"Yeah. Jack just disappeared," Rose pointed out, gesturing to the empty spot where Jack used to be. The Doctor turned to look at what she was talking about and in fact saw that Jack was no longer with them in the storeroom.

Rose had looked around the room but he really wasn't there while the Doctor moved from the window. "Okay, so he's vanished into thin air. Why is it always the great looking ones who do that?"

The Doctor looked up from his sitting position with an almost hurt look on his face. "I'm making an effort not to be insulted.

"I mean," Rose paused, gesturing to the Time Lord. "Men."

"Okay, thanks. That really helped."

An old radio crackled to life from a nearby shelf and Jack's voice began to flow through the speaker grill. "Sparrow? Rose? Doctor? Can you hear me? I'm back on my ship. Used the emergency teleport. Sorry I couldn't take you. It's security keyed to my molecular structure. I'm working on it. Hang in there."

The Doctor examined the radio and noticed the cut wire at the end. "How're you speaking to us?"

"Om-Comm. I can call anything with a speaker grill."

"And so can the child," Sparrow stated as she leaned against the nearby wall. "As long as it has a speaker grill he can call us like a phone."

"And I can hear you." Jamie's voice rang from the radio in a singsong voice. "Coming to find you. Coming to find you."

Jack's cut in over the boy's. "Doctor, can you hear that?"

"Loud and clear," he answered.

"I'll try to block out the signal. The least I can do."

"Coming to find you, mummy." His voice cut out as Jack spoke again.

"Remember this one, Sparrow?"

There was a click and "Moonlight Serenade" filled the storeroom as it transmitted through the radio's speaker. The Doctor looked at Sparrow disbelievingly and her face turned red from embarrassment.

"What? We just danced a bit, that's all." Sparrow looked away from the man as he rolled his eyes though she could hear Rose giggling.

* * *

It was some time later and there was still no response from Jack. Rose had taken to relaxing in a wheelchair, occasionally pushing herself around the room. The Doctor was back by the barred window, using his sonic on the concrete to get them out of the encasing storage room. And Sparrow had shuffled her way along the wall to be more in the open part of the room, rather than half behind a shelf.

Eventually Rose couldn't hold her questions in any longer and had to ask. "What you doing?"

"Trying to set up a resonation pattern in the concrete, loosen the bars," the Doctor answered without looking away from his work.

"You don't think he's coming back, do you?"

"Wouldn't bet my life."

"You know, you really shouldn't be that quick to judge him. We really do_ need_ him," Sparrow defended. She got the sense that the Doctor was rolling his eyes at her remark and decided to poke a little fun at him. "Besides, he's doing more right now than your little sonic screwdriver is for us."

"I'm trying to get us out," he snapped back defensively at the girl's remark.

"Well, so is he."

"Why do you even trust him? Is it because you just know, like you always do?"

Sparrow paused as she thought to herself for a moment, truly thinking about the question. "No. That would be like saying I trust you or Rose, Doctor, because what? It's the right thing to do? No." Sparrow pushed off her wall as her confidence in her speech grew, but also her anxiety. "I trust you because I know you, and you may not know me but that's timey-wimey for you. I've seen who you are and you are brilliant, and magnificent, and, and," Sparrow took a deep breath as she steadied herself.

"And while you carry the burden of many terrible things on your shoulders, you carry a thousand times more in the good deeds you've done. You have saved worlds and civilisations from enemies and themselves because you made a promise. 'Never cowardly or cruel. Never give up, never give in.' You're a good man, Doctor, because you care and you do what it takes. You have all this power and but you're still so gentle and so kind. There's are so many words that can describe you, why I trust you, but simply put, because you're the Doctor."

The Doctor finally turned away from the window and towards the girl. She tried not to prattle on, worried that if she spoke everything in her mind that they might be stuck in the storeroom longer than needed. So, she simply smiled at him.

"Captain Jack Harkness is like you. He will do anything to protect the people he cares for and stands for the good in humanity. He may not know it yet, but he is a great man, just like you." A smirk grew in her face as she gave a quick glance to Rose, unable to help herself. "Well, maybe except for the dating and _dancing._"

The Doctor was truly astounded by Sparrow's speech but immediately scoffed at her assumption at his sexuality and turned back to the window with a scowl on his face now.

"Hm? What was that?" Sparrow teased as she heard the exhale when he turned.

"You just assumed I'm,"

"What?" She was purposefully egging the Doctor on. She couldn't help it; she wanted to hear him admit it as the hormonal side of her raged.

"You just assume that I don't _dance_."

Rose however was completely interested in the subject. "What, are you telling me you do dance?"

He turned to look at the girls; Rose's face was slightly shocked, Sparrow's though was covered in an ear splitting grin. "Nine hundred years old, me. I've been around a bit. I think you can assume at some point I've danced."

"Oh I don't doubt it," Sparrow agreed, playfully waving off the idea. But her airiness about the subject interested the Doctor and he turned to give her a questioning look.

"Problem?"

"No, I'm just wondering if you've even got some decent moves."

"Trust me, I've got the moves but I wouldn't want to boast." The Doctor turned back to his window with the sonic screwdriver, trying to drop the subject.

Sparrow nodded at Rose, directing her to turn to music up on the radio. _Moonlight Serenade _was still playing over the radio as the volume increased.

"Then show me your moves, spaceman." She inched closer to the Doctor on his perch and held a hand out for him to take. He glanced at her and was shocked to see the flirtatious look on her face, so open and public, even if it was only in front of Rose.

"Sparrow, I'm trying to resonate concrete." He gestured to the window, all of a sudden acting shy.

"I bet you say that to all the girls. Come on, Jack'll get us soon. The world won't end with one dance."

The Doctor noticed Sparrow's recently repaired hand and dropped from his heightened position. He took her offered hand into his own and examined the new skin.

"Barrage balloon?" he asked, checking the facts.

"Mhhm," she nodded. "Right after you went into that club, hanging hundreds of feet above the ground, in the middle of an air raid, during the London Blitz. Fantastic view though."

"I've travelled with a lot of people, but you're setting new records for jeopardy friendly."

"And you're having a hard time dancing."

"Hanging from a rope hundreds feet above London. Not a cut, not a bruise."

"Oh no. My hands were destroyed. Three layers of skin were damaged; at least I think that's what he said. But Captain Jack fixed me up with nanogenes. Now about those moves." Sparrow repositioned her hand in the Doctor's and placed his other hand on her back where he moved it more to her center. She brought her own hand up to his shoulder and pulled herself closer to the man.

The Doctor took the rest of the lead as he slowly began to rock the both of them back and forth. "Oh, we're calling him Captain Jack now, are we?"

"Well, the ship isn't his, but he is the rank of a Captain in the army technically."

"He's not really a Captain, Sparrow."

"Killjoy," Sparrow pouted as she leaned her head in closer, lowering her voice. "I think you're just jealous."

The Doctor copied Sparrow's actions as he moved his head in closer and whispered back to her. "If ever he was a Captain, he's been defrocked."

"Oh, I don't doubt that. I have a feeling he's been defrocked many times."

The Doctor frowned lightly. "You're enjoying this a little too much aren't you?"

"Actually, I quit. Nobody takes my frock," Jack announced. Sparrow looked away from the Doctor as their dancing stopped, only then did she realize they had been teleported onto Jack's ship being watched by a smiling Jack and a smirking Rose. She looked back to the Doctor, only then realizing how close they were, mere inches from their faces touching. "Most people notice when they've been teleported. You guys are so sweet. Sorry about the delay. I had to take the nav-comm offline to override the teleport security."

The Doctor released Sparrow and turned towards Jack. She could have sworn she saw a look of embarrassment pass over him. "You can spend ten minutes overriding your own protocols? Maybe you should remember whose ship it is."

"Oh, I do. She was gorgeous. Like I told her, be back in five minutes," the Captain winked and dove under the console again.

"This is a Chula ship," the Doctor noted as he looke around the interior.

Sparrow rolled her eyes. "I told you." She clicked her fingers and the golden glow of the nanogenes enveloped her hand.

"Yeah, just like that medical transporter. Only this one is dangerous," Jack confirmed.

"Fixed up my hands, good and new." She reached for the Doctor's right hand with her free one and placed it in her glowing one, passing the nanogenes to the Doctor. "Millions of subatomic robots in the air, fixing up any flaws or problems they can find. How's your hand?"

"All clear now." The Doctor waved away the little bots and turned to Rose to explain. "Burned my hand on the console when we landed. All better now. They activate when the bulkhead's sealed." He turned to Jack, quite sure now of the cause and wanting to see for certain "Take us to the crash site. I need to see your space junk."

Jack nodded. "As soon as I get the nav-comm back online. Make yourself comfortable. Carry on with whatever it was you were doing." He gestured to the awkward distance between the Doctor and Sparrow, a devious smile on his face as he sat back in the captain's chair.

"We were talking about dancing," the Doctor stated defensively.

"It didn't look like talking."

"It didn't feel like dancing," Sparrow smirked at her former dancing partner.

They sat in silence after that and minutes passed before Rose spoke first "So, you used to be a Time Agent now you're trying to con them?" she inquired from just behind the threshold to the captain's chair. The Doctor had taken to sitting on a seat from made a sort of protrusion in the ship, not paying attention to anything. Sparrow, however, found a seat just by the control console of the ship and was watching Jack as he operated the controls of the ship, trying to get the nav-comm back.

"If it makes me sound any better, it's not for the money." Jack stated as he was facing the questioning blonde from his chair. He leaned to his right and pressed a few controls, making the ship start beeping in a three rhythm pattern.

"For what?"

"Woke up one day when I was still working for them, found they'd stolen two years of my memories. I'd like them back." He fidgeted with the fabric on the chair as he spoke, almost like he was ashamed.

"They stole your memories?"

"Two years of my life. No idea what I did. Your friend over there doesn't trust me, and for all I know he's right not to." He motioned towards the Doctor with a nod, but then turned to Sparrow. "And for some reason she seems to trust me completely." Sparrow tried not to look suspicious of all the knowledge she knew about the man when the consecutive beeping stopped and was followed by a different short tone that died away almost immediately. "Okay, we're good to go. Crash site?"

Jack rotated his captain's chair back to the controls and began pressing a series of different buttons and switches that released the ship from park.

They flew the closest they could get to the crash site as they arrived at Limehouse Green. It was an old, abandoned railway station the military had turned into their headquarters during the war. Tents were set up around the area and barbed wire fences were set up with outposts and lookout positions. It seemed nearly impossible to get inside unnoticed.

There it is," Jack pointed out as they arrive to a concealed opening. "Hey, they've got Algy on duty. It must be important."

"We've got to get past him," the Doctor stated, wasting no time in pointing out the obvious.

"Are the words 'distract the guard' heading in my general direction?" Rose asked, slightly breathless.

"I don't think that'd be such a good idea," Jack stated, unsure of the girl's plan.

"Don't worry I can handle it."

Sparrow stepped in to try to persuade her friend a little less subtly. "No, really Rose. You may want to let Jack take this one. Him being, well, a man and all."

The accused man smirked as he tacked on to Sparrow's explanation. "I've got to know Algy quite well since I've been in town. Trust me, you're not his type. I'll distract him. Don't wait up."

Rose was speechless as Jack started to head down to the railway grounds and 'distract' the guard. She watched wide eyed and mouth open as she turned to look at each of the two smiling at her reaction.

"Relax, he's a fifty first century guy. He's just a bit more flexible when it comes to dancing," the Doctor tried to assure, though a teasing presence was apparent in his words.

"How flexible?" She was still in disbelief.

"Well, by his time, you lot have spread out across half the galaxy."

"Meaning?"

The largest grin grew on the Doctor's face. "So many species, so little time."

"And it really helps that by that time humans adapted to produce their own pheromones," Sparrow pointed out, smirking at Rose's reaction.

"We what?" Rose nearly shouted in a hushed voice.

"Don't you feel the attraction when you're close to Jack? That sexual pull dragging you to him." She lowered her voice to a sultry tone to add more emphasis. The Doctor slightly frowned as he realized that the pheromones must have had some effect on her to be able to describe them like that.

"What, that's what we do when we get out there? That's our mission? We seek new life, and, and," Rose couldn't say the words.

Sparrow finished for the girl, adding their pre-determined euphemism. "Dance," She was holding back giggles from the whole situation.

Rose stayed silent after that and the three turned to watch Jack's interaction with Algy. Things appeared to be going smoothly at first, but then the soldier keeled over. He fell to the ground, on to his knees, retching as the gas mask crawled up his throat and began to protrude from his mouth. Eventually his whole face was transformed and a lifeless soldier asking for his mummy stood in front of Jack.

The Doctor, swiftly recognizing the symptoms, darted around their cover and ran down to the pair of them, shouting commands at the other oncoming soldiers. "Stay back!"

Sparrow and Rose followed after, racing down the siding to the abandoned station to meet the other two of their party already down below. They, however, stayed farther back, away from the recently infected soldier.

"You men, stay away!" Jack copied with as much authority as the Doctor.

"The effect's become air-borne, accelerating," the Doctor announced as he finished his examination.

"What's keeping us safe?" Worry tinged Rose's voice.

"Nothing."

Air raid sirens filled the sky as the German jets approached. Sparrow looked up at the noise, half expecting to see planes already above them. "Here come the Germans," Sparrow announced, though she knew that they too already knew that was obvious.

"All we need," Rose sighed, exasperated by the down turn their plan was taking. Then she turned to Jack, remembering what he had said. "Didn't you say a bomb was going to land here?"

"Never mind about that." The Doctor passed that bit off, not seeming concerned about the oncoming bomb. "If the contaminants airborne now, there's hours left."

"For what?" Jack asked, not knowing what the man was talking about.

"Till nothing, forever. For the entire human race." The Doctor explained and then looked to the side, distracted by a distant noise. "And can anyone else hear singing?"

Sparrow smiled at the muffled song as the others too noticed the noise. They followed the song, _Rock-A-By-Baby_, to the main hanger set up at the bomb site. Behind a pair of large hanger doors Nancy was singing to a fully transformed and infected soldier, slumped across the table.

_When the wind blows, the cradle will rock. When the bough breaks, the cradle will fall. Down will come baby, cradle and all._

She looked at the new comers, her face horrified as she worried for her life, but a friendly face gave her hope. The Doctor entered while the rest stayed outside the hanger and Nancy pulled her arm, still cuffed to the table. He gestured for her to keep singing and she did so as he sneaked closer, careful not to make a sound.

_Rock-a-bye baby, on the tree tops. When the wind blows the cradle will rock. _

The Doctor pulled out his sonic screwdriver and pointed it at the cuffs, unlocking them instantly and freeing Nancy. They both quickly left before the soldier could wake up and met the others outside the building.

They turned the spot lights on, illuminating the area, and the Doctor and Jack worked to pull the tarp off the fallen object to reveal the spacecraft.

"You see? Just an ambulance," Jack pointed out, still not aware of what his space junk did.

Nancy asked disbelievingly, put off by Jack's terminology. "That's an ambulance?"

"It's hard to explain. It's, It's from another world." Rose tried to console the young girl and offered an explanation.

Jack moved towards the access panel at the top of the craft and inspected the hatch. "They've been trying to get in."

Of course they have, the Doctor scoffed. "They think they've got their hands on Hitler's latest secret weapon. What're you doing?" The Doctor looked up at the man mounting the ambulance, questioning his actions as he keyed in the access codes.

"The sooner you see this thing is empty, the sooner you'll know I had nothing to do with it."

"No, no. Wait Jack, don't!" Sparrow tried to warn the Captain but alarms had already started going off. The door didn't budge and there was a loud bang followed by a shower of sparks from the panel.

"Didn't happen last time," Jack provided defensively.

"You idiot!" Sparrow chastised as she pulled the man down. "It didn't crash last time, and now you've activated its emergency protocols."

"But it's not-" Jack started to point out his innocence to state yet again it wasn't his fault, but Sparrow had heard enough this time around. Her hand came down across Jack's face as she slapped him across the cheek and a sharp clap cut him off.

"Congratulations Jack. Your hard headed stubbornness has summoned the armada, and now all those infected patients are coming to get us. To protect the ship. All of them; the soldiers on the site, the patients from the hospital, and even that poor little child." Sparrow could see Nancy shift uncomfortably at the mention of her secretive child, but that didn't stop her from continuing her attack on Jack.

"All you ever think about is yourself, and now look at what it's done. Hm? You equipped that child with all the tools and weapons of a Chula warrior and now look at what's happening to the human race. They won't stop Jack, not until it's happened to every single being of the human race. All because of you and your ignorance!"

Sparrow breathed heavily as she finished her rant towards Jack, her hair askew and out of its proper place. It was the one thing she didn't like about the man at the moment. He didn't think about the effects his actions would have on others, at least not yet, and Sparrow couldn't help but let him know that.

She took a breath to calm herself and tucked the fallen wisps of hair behind her ears again. "I've wanted to do that for years. Doctor, can you take it from here." She smiled solemnly at the man. He was surprised to see that side of Sparrow, the explosive temper she kept well hidden. The only other time he had actually seen her go off on anything like that was when they encountered the Dalek in Utah.

The Doctor shook the thought from his mind. "Right. Captain, secure those gates." Jack didn't hesitate one bit as he did what the Doctor said, mostly because he knew what was coming now, but even more so to get away from the fiery redhead before she exploded on him again. The Doctor turned to Nancy next.

"Nancy, how'd you get in here?"

"I cut the wire." She gestured to the fence some ways behind her.

"Show Rose. Setting two thousand four hundred and twenty-eight D." He buzzed the sonic screwdriver and tossed it to Rose.

"What?"

"Reattaches barbed wire. Go!"

The rest were off to do their jobs while Sparrow and the Doctor stayed at the crash site. The Doctor inspected the ambulance while Sparrow leaned against it, no job required from her at the moment.

Midway through his examination, the Doctor gave Sparrow a side glance. She had been quiet for a while, but still had a sour look on her face.

"You alright?" he called down to her from the hatch of the spacecraft.

She looked up at the man, her face transforming to one of guilt. "Was I too harsh?"

"What?"

"I mean, he didn't know any better. He's just a con man trying to make the Time Agency pay for what they did. Was I too harsh on him?"

The Doctor leapt down from his heightened position and moved in front of the girl. "If you ask me, you should have done that sooner. Serves him right to think he can do whatever he wants without having some sort of side effect."

Sparrow smiled as the man agreed with her and he smiled back. "Yeah, I suppose. He really does turn out better in the end for meeting you too. A genuine guy."

"That's Jack for ya," the Doctor agreed, though rather sarcastically and Sparrow chuckled.

"What, you aren't still jealous because the two of us shared a little dance of our own are you?"

"Jealous, of him?" He sneered to the side in reference to the man.

"Tell you what, when we make it out of this mess alive, we'll have a real time dancing. The same way Jack and I did, Glenn Miller and all."

"You're starting to owe me a lot of promises. Don't think I forgot about that last one, about those shoes." The Doctor gestured to the tan boots she was wearing. Sparrow smirked as she remembered the scenario in which she bargained with him.

They were running, the three of them, through a dark green forest on a planet's moon. It turned out that Endor from _Star Wars _was actually based off a somewhat real place. Tropical and exotic plants were surrounding them as they tore their way through the leaves and branches, away from their hostile seekers. As it turned out, the locals there weren't as nice as Ewoks. Unfortunately for Sparrow, rain was quite common in that environment and had turned the ground to oozing thick mud. She remembered how each step became harder as her heel cut into the wet ground and her boots sank deeper, slowing her down greatly. She even managed to get caught twice, each time because her shoes seeped too far into the mud and trapped Sparrow in place.

Each time the Doctor and Rose would have to turn and pull the girl forward to get her running again. A snide comment always followed after from the Doctor as he criticise Sparrow's footwear choice. She remembered her exact words on the matter. _The only way I get rid of these boots is if you give me access to the TARDIS wardrobe. _

It wasn't exactly the bargain she intended to make at the time, but something she was keen to inquire about with the Doctor.

Sparrow snapped back to the present, or past in reference to her timeline. "Fine. First thing when I step foot in the TARDIS next, the shoes are gone." She spun on her heel, red hair flying off her back and grazing the Doctor's face. She folded her arms over her chest a stood like that for a moment, acting as if it were a stubborn choice she had just made, though it wasn't. Sparrow looked over her shoulder and winked at the Doctor, just before the others began to arrive back from their tasks.

Rose returned with Nancy, comforting the girl after the knowledge she had just given her. Although, as she arrived back, it also seemed to give her a new hope, that maybe things would be alright in the end. Jack came back down from the siding after checking the gates, making sure they were locked up tight. He was cautious as he reproached the ambulance, keeping a wary eye on Sparrow, but she only smiled apologetically at him.

Jack took it as a safe sign and deterred the rest of his attention to opening the access hatch on the craft. He punched in a variety of keys and the metal door finally opened with a thud and a hiss. "It's empty. Look at it."

The Doctor rolled his eyes without even a glance inside the metal case. "What do you expect in a Chula medical transporter? Bandages? Cough drops? Sparrow?" He gestured to the girl for her to finish his thought expectantly.

"Nanogenes!" Sparrow perked up happily and the Doctor nodded.

"It wasn't empty, Captain. There was enough nanogenes in there to rebuild a species."

"Oh, God." Jack look horrified as he realized his mistake.

"Getting it now, are we? When the ship crashes, the nanogenes escape. Billions upon billions of them, ready to fix all the cuts and bruises in the whole world. But what they find first is a dead child, probably killed earlier that night, and wearing a gasmask."

Again, Nancy fidgeted at the mention of the child.

"And they brought him back to life? They can do that?" Rose was in disbelief that death could be fixed that easily.

"What's life? Life's easy. A quirk of matter. Nature's way of keeping meat fresh. Nothing to a nanogene. One problem, though. These nanogenes, they're not like the ones on your ship. This lot have never seen a human being before. Don't know what a human being's supposed to look like. All they've got to go on is one little body, and there's not a lot left. But they carry right on. They do what they're programmed to do. They patch it up. Can't tell what's gasmask and what's skull, but they do their best. Then off they fly, off they go, work to be done. Because, you see, now they think they know what people should look like, and it's time to fix all the rest. And they won't ever stop. They won't ever, ever stop. The entire human race is going to be torn down and rebuilt in the form of one terrified child looking for its mother, and nothing in the world can stop it!"

"I didn't know." Jack stated defensively. His face was a mixture of pure shock, horror, and worry as he thoughts about the fate of humanity and the future.

The Doctor had finished his rant and was now focusing all his efforts on stopping the oncoming battalion headed right for them. He didn't even spare a glance at Jack.

The first of the patients began to approach, chanting their mantra, but never venturing farther than the sidings as they waited for the child. "Mummy. Mummy," they constantly called.

Nancy ran forward as she heard the voices. "Rose!" Nancy called out, and the young girl moved forward to see what she had found.

The army of empty people were walking towards the gates and Rose rushed back to the Doctor while he worked on the transporter. "It's bringing the gas mask people here, isn't it?" Rose asked, looking around as they slowly became surrounded.

"Like Sparrow said, the ship thinks it's under attack. It's calling up the troops. Standard protocol," the Doctor pointed out.

"But the gas mask people aren't troops."

"They are now. This is a battle-field ambulance. The nanogenes don't just fix you up; they get you ready for the front line. Equip you, program you."

"That's why the child's so strong. Why it could do that phoning thing." Rose was beginning to understand the severity of situation.

"It's a fully equipped Chula warrior, yes." He stood up as he examined the surrounding troops for himself. "All that weapons tech in the hands of a hysterical four year old looking for his mummy. And now there's an army of them."

By now, the patients and soldiers had completely surrounded the crash site, but still they remained behind the barbed wire. They didn't move, not yet.

"Why don't they attack?" Jack looked around frantically.

"They're being good little soldiers, waiting for their commander," Sparrow smirked with confidence. It confused Jack as his head snapped to the girl to confirm her words.

"The child?"

"Jamie," Nancy corrected. Again, all the heads snapped towards Nancy as she spoke up.

Jack spoke for the majority that didn't understand. "What?"

"Not the child. Jamie."

The Doctor looked at Nancy curiously as the pieces slowly began to click in his mind.

"So how long until the bomb falls?" Rose seemed determined on keeping everyone informed of each thing threatening to kill them.

"Any second," Jack answered reluctantly.

"What's the matter, Captain? A bit close to the volcano for you?" the Doctor snapped at the man.

"He's just a little boy," Nancy stated defensively.

"I know," the Doctor agreed as he moved closer to stand in front of Nancy.

"He's just a little boy who wants his mummy."

"I know. There isn't a little boy born who wouldn't tear the world apart to save his mummy. And this little boy can."

"So what're we going to do?" Rose cut in and the Doctor turned to her.

"I don't know."

"It's my fault." Nancy's voice began to shake the more she spoke

The Doctor didn't understand. He knew that Nancy felt guilty about Jamie and responsible for his safety, but not how it could be her fault. "No."

"It is. It's all my fault." Nancy finally broke down and began to sob as she held her face in her hands.

"How can it be your-" The Doctor was cut off as the patients surrounding them burst out, nearly shouting for their mothers

"Mummy. Mummy. Mummy. Mummy."

The final piece finally found its slot in the Doctor's mind and he knew now what had happened. Sparrow could see that he had finally made the connection and nudged him with her elbow to encourage his thought process.

"Nancy, what age are you? Twenty? Twenty-one? Older than you look, yes?" The Doctor pressed as he made his confirmation, but Jack cut in, frantic for their continued existence.

"Doctor, that bomb. We've got seconds."

"You can teleport us out," Rose offered, remembering how he had done it earlier.

Jack shook his head. "Not you guys. The nav-com's back online. Going to take too long to override the protocols."

The Doctor nearly snapped at him as he made Jack realize the only way of saving everyone. "So it's volcano day. Do what you've got to do."

Rose however, didn't understand. "Jack?"

The soldier backed away without another word and clicked his remote. In a flash he was gone, teleported back onto his ship to deal with the bomb while the Doctor turned back to solving the mystery of Nancy and the child asking for his mummy.

"How old were you five years ago? Fifteen? Sixteen? Old enough to give birth, anyway. He's not your brother, is he?" Nancy looked away, almost in shame as the man in front of her unraveled the truth she kept hidden from everyone. "A teenage, single mother in nineteen forty-one. So you hid. You lied. You even lied to him."

There was a crash at the far end of the crash site and a child stood in the open gates, free to approach them. "Are you my mummy?"

"He's going to keep asking, Nancy. He's never going to stop."

"Mummy?"

Nancy looked towards the child longingly, but didn't move as he and the others walked towards them. The Doctor encouraged her, knowing it was the right thing. "Tell him. Nancy, the future of the human race is in your hands. Trust me and tell him."

Jamie began his approach towards the ambulance by himself now and Nancy moved to meet him ahead of the others.

The child continued to ask, "Are you my mummy? Are you my mummy? Are you my mummy?"

"Yes. Yes, I am your mummy," Nancy finally answered, lowering to her knees to be level with her child.

"Mummy?"

"I'm here."

"Are you my mummy?"

"I'm here."

"Are you my mummy?"

"Yes."

"Are you my mummy?"

The smile on the Doctor's face fell as he realized what wasn't happening. "He doesn't understand. There's not enough of him left."

"I am your mummy. I will always be your mummy. I'm so sorry. I am so, so sorry." Nancy nearly broke down into sobs as she leaned forward and wrapped her arms around Jamie, her son, and encasing him in a hug.

A golden glow enveloped the two, shrouding them in nanogenes as Nancy continued to sob into her child.

"What's happening? Doctor, it's changing her, we should-" Rose whispered to the Doctor, fearing for all their safety, but he cut her off.

"Shush! Come on, please. Come on, you clever little nanogenes. Figure it out! The mother, she's the mother. It's got to be enough information. Figure it out," the Doctor pleaded to the nanogenes with a hopeful grin on his face.

"What's happening?"

"See? Recognising the same DNA."

The glow began to dissipate as the nanogenes faded and Jamie released his mother. Nancy collapsed in the ground, exhausted from the exchange. The Doctor rushed forward and stopped in front of the child, desperate for the change he was hoping for.

"Oh, come on. Give me a day like this. Give me this one." He reached for Jamie's gas mask pulling it off the little boy's head. Great relief passed over everyone as they could clearly see his face; an innocent child's. The Doctor cheered triumphantly at their victory as he picked Jamie up. "Welcome back! Twenty years till pop music. You're going to love it."

"What happened? Nancy asked, recovering from her fall, but also elated to see her son's face again.

"The nanogenes recognised the superior information, the parent DNA. They didn't change you because you changed them!" The Doctor laughed heartily as he put the boy back to the ground with his mummy. "Mother knows best!"

"Oh, Jamie." Nancy hugged her son again, crying into the boy's chest.

"Doctor, that bomb," Rose pointed out, still sure they were in danger as she heard it come closer.

"It's all taken care of, Rose." Sparrow answered with a smile.

"How?"

Sparrow looked over her shoulder towards the Doctor, and then back to Rose. "Psychology."

Just then, the promised bomb hurtled towards the crash site. It was about to fall directly on them when the same tractor beam that had saved Sparrow from falling to London stopped the German bomb, mid fall. In the beam, sitting on top of the bomb, there was the Captain.

"Doctor!" Jack called out to the man.

"Good lad!"

"The bomb's already commenced detonation. I've put it in stasis but it won't last long," he informed the group below.

"Change of plan. Don't need the bomb. Can you get rid of it, safely as you can?" the Doctor asked and Jack nodded in understanding, turning to the two girls below.

"Sparrow? Rose?"

"Yeah?" Rose asked, but Sparrow only smiled lightly at him.

"Goodbye." Then Jack vanished, along with the bomb, but only momentarily before they both reappeared. "By the way, love the t-shirt." He smiled at Rose and she returned the smile, straightening her Union Jack shirt. "You treat him well, Red." Jack offered to Sparrow, nodding his head towards the Doctor.

Again, the two of them disappeared; the Captain and the bomb, taking the light from the tractor beam with them. Not soon after, the ship flew off.

The Doctor stepped forward and summonsed the nanogenes to his hands as he held them out. He looked between each of his hands as he focused on changing the nanogenes programming.

"What are you doing?" Rose asked as she moved closer to the man again.

"Software patch. Going to email the upgrade. You want moves, Sparrow? I'll give you moves." Sparrow smiled as the Doctor thrusted his hands forward and threw the nanogenes at the waiting patients. They all stumbled and fell to the ground, reverting back to their regular human state. "Everybody lives, Sparrow. Just this once, everybody lives!"

The Doctor looked over his shoulder at Sparrow as she laughed giddily with the revelation of the events that night. Seeing everything first hand, experiencing the pain, the fear, but mostly the happiness, it brought her to new heights that just enlightened her spirits. She cheered and jumped in her little zone with Rose, happy at the turn of events, and the largest smile yet on her face.

The Doctor watched as she danced her little dance and smiled after her, basking in his own joy. Sparrow caught sight as he watched her with his own smile and ran to hug him. He welcomed the action and laughed with the girl, releasing her not soon after.

She couldn't help what happened next, it was just so natural that Sparrow did it subconsciously, without thinking.

The Doctor sat Sparrow down and she was still on such a high that reached up and grabbed the side of his head lightly in her hands. She pushed her self the rest of the few inches to meet his height and pressed her lips to the corner of the Doctor's mouth, not fully on his cheek, but not his lips either.

If Sparrow had thought about it, it probably described their relationship perfectly, that small little action. Slightly more than just friends, but not a couple either. She was a companion to the Doctor.

Sparrow bounded away, still excited about the win they had just achieved. She moved to celebrate with Rose, slowly calming herself after her overreaction, a light blush powdering her cheeks the more she thought about the past minute.

The Doctor was only dazed for a moment as Sparrow walked off back to Rose and he stared after her. He didn't see the blush on her cheeks but suspected that the cause of her action must have been more than just an exciting situation. He shook the thought from his mind and approached the recovering patients and Doctor Constantine to give them a quick rundown on the situation.

Rose and Sparrow watched from afar, waiting for the Doctor to finish. He returned to them and jumped onto the crashed ambulance near the hatch. "Right, you lot. Lots to do. Beat the Germans, save the world. Don't forget the welfare state!" He called out to the impeccably confused group at the edge of the site, then lowered his voice directing it to the two girls below him. "Setting this to self-destruct, soon as everybody's clear. History says there was an explosion here. Who am I to argue with history?"

"It's usually the first thing you do," Sparrow smirked cheekily and the Doctor responded with his own glance to the side, smiling then turning back to set the explosion.

* * *

They made their way back to the TARDIS, all in high spirits after the events of their little adventure. The Doctor charged through the doors, full of energy as he didn't stop on his approach to the console.

"The nanogenes will clean up the mess and switch themselves off, because I just told them to. Nancy and Jamie will go to Doctor Constantine for help, ditto. All in all, all things considered, fantastic!" He smiled as he did a quick turnaround at the TARDIS console facing his two companions.

"Look at you, beaming away like you're Father Christmas," Rose chimed as she ascended up the metal ramp and rested on the platform.

"Who says I'm not, red bicycle when you were twelve?"

Rose just gaped at the man as he astonished her, but Sparrow had a little more to say about it.

"Oh, anyone could have guessed that," Sparrow chastised playfully as she hung by the front of the TARDIS doors. She stayed behind as she reached down and removed each of her tan boots, just as she promised the Doctor she would, and discarded them to the side.

The Doctor retorted to the girl teasingly without missing a beat. "And what about you, Pocahontas Barbie doll when you were six?"

Sparrow slowly moved up the ramp barefoot to stand next to Rose, her mouth hanging ajar, speechless at the man's abilities. He didn't dwell on that topic for long though, not while he was in such high spirits.

"And everybody lives, Sparrow! Everybody lives! I need more days like this," the Doctor cheered as he maneuvered a few controls.

"Doctor," Rose tried to cut in.

"Go on, ask me anything. I'm on fire!"

"What about Jack? Why'd he say goodbye?"

That made the Doctor's smile fall, but only momentarily as he finished coordinates to their new destination.

* * *

Jack's spaceship seemed more somber and depressing from the bomb's presence in the cabin. He was desperately trying to find an escape route from the about to detonate device, but was having no luck. There was no escape from what he could tell.

"Anyway. Thanks for everything, computer. It's been great." Jack toasted his drink in the air and leaned back in the captain's chair.

"Jack," Sparrow called out softly in a singing voice. "Moonlight Serenade"followed her voice as of wafted down the ship to meet Jack's ears and he turned to look, shocked to hear Sparrow's voice again.

"Don't think you have to die now. There's still plenty more to come." She smirked at the man as he began to rise from his seat and approach her when Rose's voice called down the ship after them.

"Well, hurry up then!"

Sparrow smiled at she grabbed his hand and they ran into the TARDIS, leaving the Chula ship behind for the bomb to take care of. Rose and the Doctor were dancing on top of the platform as music filled the main room. Although, the Doctor was having a hard time getting the steps right, usually stumbling over Rose's feet or nearly causing her to trip.

"Okay. And right and turn," Rose instructed as Jack observed the Doctor's own ship. The Doctor swung Rose under his arm and back, failing to complete the move though as theirs arms got stuck. "Okay, okay, try and spin me again, but this time don't get my arm up my back. No extra points for a half-nelson."

"I'm sure I used to know this stuff," the Doctor assured but his moves proved otherwise.

Sparrow chuckled as she watched the two struggle. "I'm so glad I let Rose test your dancing skills first before you tossed me into the TARDIS."

The man glared at her snidely and then moved his gaze to the man standing next to her. "Close the door, will you? Your ship's about to blow up. There's going to be a draft."

He broke away from his dancing partner and started up the Time Rotor, sending all four of them on a new path, including their newest companion, as the engines gave off their iconic sound.

"Welcome to the TARDIS," the Doctor announced, gesturing to his magnificent ship.

"Much bigger on the inside," Jack commented as he looked at the height of the ceiling.

"You'd better be," the Doctor joked and Jack smiled.

"See? I told you he'd take to you," Sparrow smirked with a wink to the man next to her. He looked back at the girl, so grateful that they were willing to save and take him in. "Care for another dance?"

Sparrow held her hand out as an offer for Jack to take, but was interrupted as the Doctor called out to her.

"Sparrow! I've just remembered!" The girl turned to look at him questioningly though she could guess what he was doing. Her hand to Jack lowered as she waited for the Doctor to continue.

The slow waltz music changed to another of Glen Miller's songs, "In the Mood." This one was faster paced and more of a swing type of dance. The Doctor snapped his fingers in time with the music as he stepped closer, his feet matching the rhythm as well. The TARDIS even seemed to help as her lights on the walls and the console flashed in time to the beat in the song.

"I can dance! I can dance!"

"Doctor, don't you think Jack deserves a dance too?" Sparrow suggested.

"Most likely, but I think Rose would be more than willing." He looked at the girl in reference and she nodded in agreement. "See?"

Sparrow bit her lip momentarily and ran up the ramp to meet the Doctor's waiting offer. He took her hand she reached out to him and pulled her close to his body.

They stepped to the music, Sparrow a little out of practice at first but quickly growing in sync with the Doctor. Soon they were dancing perfectly in time with each other. Sparrow hardly even noticed Jack and Rose doing their own little performance nearby; she was too focused on the Doctor and the way he was making her smile.

Before she thought it could get any more fun, Sparrow felt the Doctor's arm around her back tighten around her waist and he pulled her center closer to his body. She was enjoying the closeness between them. It had felt like ages since she had felt that close to anyone physically. She wasn't, however, expecting the coil towards the Doctor to lead to the dip he held her in and she laughed from excitement.

Part of Sparrow's mind turned devious as she even allowed her left leg slide up the backside of the Doctor's trousers. Her usual smirk was plastered over the Doctor's face as he observed her enjoyment and reaction to his style of dancing mixed with her own.

Sparrow could hardly hear the music any more as she breathed heavily, looking up at the Doctor. The only thing she could take in was the gleaming look on his face and that same rustic smell she's come to recognize as his own. It was something she'd never let herself forget.

* * *

**I don't know about you, but I think I see something developing here. ;)**

**Anyways, hopefully you all didn't do what I did and watch the Christmas special again only to throw yourselves into despair yet again over the departure of Matt Smith. And if you did, well, I hope this made things a little better.**

**Love.**


End file.
